I miss the songs that move you so deeply they pick you up and drop you right in the middle of the story being told. Country music today isn’t near what it used to be. Songs today don’t move me the way the songs of the 80’s and 90’s did, and still do. Those powerful, dark ballads that take you to a place so deep, powerful, and full of emotion, you find yourself envisioning the song playing itself out in your head.

Just when I thought that style of music was gone, I discovered The Steel Woods.

The Southern Rock-style band from Nashville, Tennessee released their debut album, Straw In The Wind, in 2017 and have launched themselves into the spotlight this year opening for the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Mirana Lambert. If I had to describe who The Steel Woods would be comparable to, it would be that of Lynyrd Skynyrd, mixed with some Chris Stapleton and Jamey Johnson.

My personal favorite song on the album is “Straw In The Wind”. Its gritty, swampy feel mixed with deep, dark lyrics about people who cause trouble in a small town “mysteriously” just up and disappearing like “straw in the wind,” makes this song an attention grabber!

The track that first grabbed my attention, and introduced me to this band, is called “Axe”. I’m a sucker for a song that builds musically throughout its duration. “Axe” does just that; simple guitar notes and just enough drum to keep the beat open this track, but by the second chorus, the song erupts into a full-sound that hits you deep in the soul.

Other notable favorites of mine are “Better In The Fall,” “Let The Rain Come Down,”  “Whatever It Means To You,” and the insane harmonica-heavy jam sessions in “Wild and Blue”.

In my opinion, these guys are the real deal. They sound just as amazing live as they do on this studio album. No need for auto-tune here, these guys sound great just the way they are! Something I can’t always say about the albums I buy, but can say about this one is that there isn’t a song on this album I don’t like.

This whole album puts me in a good mood. It’s refreshing to see this style of music attempting to make a comeback. It’s good music – plain and simple.

You can check out The Steel Woods by going to their website or find them on all social media outlets. And also PLEASE go check out their music for yourself on iTunes and Spotify.
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