Sharp, melodic, Southern rock from J. Roddy Walston & The Business

J. Roddy Walston & The Business – Destroyers of the Soft Life – (ATO Records)

Genre – Rock

J Roddy Walston & The Business may not be a household name, but it damn well should be!

Destroyers of the Soft Life marks album number four for the Virginia based four piece, and its ram packed with big hitters. From the opening riffs of You Know Me Better, J. Roddy Walston & The Business unleash a powerful combination of engaging, melodic song writing with sharp observations about American culture – a truly delicious concoction.

Sonically, this is an album filled with experimental sounds. J. Roddy Walston & The Business are not a band that want to recreate the past. They’re fresh. They’re cool. And, they’re pushing Southern rock boundaries to the max.

Tracks like Blade of Truth and Numbers are hard hitting, rip roaring rock sounds drenched in beautiful Southern soul. They’re filled with energy, big choruses, delectable riffs and a chemistry that most bands could only dream of. At the same time, they’re radio friendly tracks. But, radio friendly tracks that real rockers can relate to. Which, once again begs the question – why do these guys not get the recognition they deserve?

Vocally, J. Roddy Walston is phenomenal. Mid album tracks Heart Is Free and I Called You really highlight his effortless Southern drone, and his authority from behind the mic. While both tracks offer a slower offering than fans have previously been accustomed to, they represent the evolution of a band that continually challenges themselves.

The comparison between Kings of Leon and J Roddy Walston & The Business simply cannot be ignored, particularly with tracks like Ways, Bleed Out and Burn Black on this release. Destroyers of the Soft Life is filled with pop rock undertones that veer close to the indie rock sound that Kings have become known for, particularly in the more recent releases.

J. Roddy Walston & The Business may be straight up rockers, but Bad Habits shows their sense of fun. This country rock track is full of light hearted rhetoric, with lines like ‘We’ll have some thousand dollar nights, and smoke some Marlboro lights…’

Destroyers of the Soft Life is another incredible release from J. Roddy Walston & The Business, and one that shows their ability to adapt and grow as a band. This is one to be belted out of the speakers with a box of beer at hand!

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