Alongside their first album featured here some days ago, Bad Reputation Records are reissuing as well SOUTHGANG second album 1992’s ”Group Therapy”, fully remastered for the first time. Southgang’s debut LP ‘Tainted Angel’ (1991) was a really good hair metal / bluesy hard rock album with killer songs co-written by Desmond Child.
Follow up album ”Group Therapy” saw the mighty Keith Olsen (Whitesnake) at the co-production helm as well as a slightly change to a much more hard rockin’ style – still all polished and melodic.
Southgang’s second record gets down n’ dirty indeed. Touring, playing naked (yes really!), and a move back to their home town of Atlanta, Georgia, has produced a band and album that’s tough, fast, lean and mean-all without losing the catchy, rollicking Southgang vibe.
The Georgia boys are no stranger to songs that ‘feel good’: the title track from ‘Tainted Angel’ enjoyed tons of airplay, and after it debuted on “Headbanger’s Ball,” MTV put the clip into ‘Ballbuster of the Week’.
Touring in 1991 found Southgang doing both a club tour and opening for major headliners, honing their chops and whipping fans into a frenzy.
That dues-paying time on the road resulted in a firm sense of precisely what the band wanted to put on their sophomore effort.
And they succeeded in that goal, even bringing two producers together to achieve the exact sound they wanted for ”Group Therapy”. Howard Benson, who produced the first album, did the same with some tracks, while Keith Olsen provided a more punchy rockin’ vibe to the others.
This ain’t “Gone With The Wind” and Southgang do give a damn, as the infectious grooves of ”Group Therapy” will attest to anyone who had the mistaken impression that Southgang is all and no hooks, well, this album will dispel that rumor.
This second record serves up some tasty songs that run the gamut from introspective and traditional, to the rambunctious, nice ‘n’ nasty “White Trash With Cash,” the tough and edgy “Tug Of War,” and the infectious true tale tune “The Legend of C.C. Road”.
Another killer album from Southgang, for many fans, even better than their superb debut LP.
The Bad Reputation remaster is impeccable, crisp and clear.
01 – White Trash With Cash
02 – Water Under The Bridge
03 – Tug Of War
04 – Fire In Your Body
05 – Final Resting Place
06 – Legend Of C.C. Road
07 – Culture Clash City
08 – The Call
09 – Misery
10 – My Best Friend’s Girl
11 – Ode To Peggy’s
12 – The Blue Bird Has Landed (The Uncut Trail Mix)
Jesse Harte – lead vocals
Butch Walker – guitars, backing vocals
Jayce Fincher – bass
Mitch McLee – drums
MP3 real?