South Of Reality - South Of Reality

​South Of Reality

South Of Reality
self-released; 2016

3.7 out of 5

By Jamie Funk
​

Shane Wesberry, Jeff McMullen, and John Walker are South Of Reality. The three-piece band released a nine-song self-titled album South of Reality. From the imagery on their album to their name you may have guessed they have some southern flair. It’s true you can definitely hear southern rock within the music. That being said the band incorporates different genres as well.

They open with “Stand On The Rock.” The initial organ sounds like it coming from a classic rock band from the ’70s. There is also a bit of an ’80s vibe which emerges on this song and on a number of others. It’s a pretty catchy song and the band is tight and in the pocket.

“What I Am” is a bit funky all things considered. It’s definitely a song where you can imagine people dancing. The southern boys from Texas also aren't afraid to use a synth. I have no problems with that. The vocalist sings, “What you see is what you get I live my life without regret.”

“Two For The Show” melds an Americana vibe with southern rock. It’s another catchy song with a single worthy viability. A personal favorite and highlight was “Fallen Warrior.” The verse has a great guitar riff that is layered with a subdued organ. More appealing was the warm melancholy and nostalgia throughout the song. 

“Sleepers” gets into metal territory for a couple of moments while “Buried Bones” has additional percussive elements that give it a unique feel amongst some of the other tracks. They close with “Southland” which I thought had an overt arena rock quality to it. The guitars are huge on this track.

​South of Reality isn't exactly reinventing the wheel and it's not the most contemporary sounding music out there. That's not necessarily a bad thing. I could see a lot of people enjoying this music. It reminds me of a lot of bands when I was a kid and I could see a lot of people in their 30’s, 40’s and 50’s enjoying this southern charm you don't hear as often these days.

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