Whiskey N' Rye: Sick Soul Summertime

There's a part of my brain that judges rock music by how many cars I could tolerate on the road while a certain song is playing. Aerosmith songs made after 1987 for instance, I can tolerate in a full-blown traffic jam (usually with the window rolled down so I can hear the traffic, instead). Certain Black Sabbath songs I can listen to in very light traffic, so I can weave in and out of the cars. Billy Joel? The car needs to be parked. In a garage. While I'm in another part of the house digging out my AC/DC albums.

This morning, while I was out driving from place to place, the latest single from Whiskey N' Rye, Sick Soul Summertime, popped up and after listening to it, I have come to a verdict:

One car. From the second the song starts, you want to flip off the vehicle next to you, floor the gas, and take in the big open skies as you move in one direction - forward.

Go ahead. Listen for yourselves:

 

Whiskey N' Rye is a rising roots-rock band out of Seattle “who seems to be on the fast track to stardom” (Indie Band Guru).  The band formed in 2013 and quickly became known for its explosive live show, touring nationally at some of the best clubs and festivals around (House of Blues, Crocodile, Harlows, Tractor Tavern, Secret Society, etc.). The debut album - a fusion of blues, rock, and Americana - has been picked up by over 200 radio stations across the country, as well as widely popular television shows and networks (The Real World, Kardashians, NASCAR, Discovery). Buzz now surrounds the band, whose online following has swelled to over 35,000 people.  Independent Music News has described their sound as “honest American rock music with soul.  The band is stellar and the songs are phenomenal.”

 

I had a chance to listen to their upcoming album, also titled Sick Soul Summertime - currently available for pre-order through the official Whiskey N' Rye site - and I can say that this is one of the few new bands that "gets" rock music. From the album's eponymous track to their cover of AC/DC's You Shook Me All Night Long, to the soulful Saving Grace, Whiskey N' Rye shows that they drink deeply from the well of rock and their musicianship shows off a diversity that music has been sorely needed - as they have the tempo going at a million miles a second and then switch to a tender ballad, or a style that would bring a tear to any southern rock fan's eye.

 

Whiskey N' Rye's members are as follows:

 

Philip Lindholm: Guitar, Singer/Songwriter, Producer
Carson Dent: Drums
Marco Longo: Keyboards
Greg Pascale: Lead Guitar
Alex Atwood: Bass

 

Whiskey N' Rye is a touring band, and their live shows are jam packed (the footage in the video for Sick Soul Summertime was taken from live performances). If you want to know more about the band, or find out when they will be playing in your area, you can catch them on Facebook, Twitter, or get updates directly from their own site, and watch their latest videos on YouTube.

 

I need their new album in my collection. You do, too. One listen will tell you this is going to be marked by music historians as a classic album that the rock landscape has needed for a VERY long time!

 

Get Sick Soul Summertime now!

 

Do you need more? Here are some great reviews of Whiskey N' Rye if you don't want to take my word for it:

 

"Whiskey N' Rye are here to bring a healthy dose of good ol American rock and roll." - Chris Marsh, Cross Radar

"...Seattle-based rock band Whiskey N' Rye are yet another success story bursting to be told. They're eponymous debut album is a soulful effort that is a pleasure to listen to and, like any proud product of the northwest, never forgets its roots...Rock on guys! You can officially count me as a passenger on the 6 a.m. Whiskey N Rye train."- Digi Indie

"Emerging with an allure that has not been seen since the early ages of rock, Seattle band Whiskey N' Rye has unleashed their self-titled album Whiskey N' Rye. As one of the most powerful releases of 2014, the album is an inventive production that bridges the elements of classic rock styles with contemporary American insight and artistic brilliance" - Glitter and Stilettos

"You'll have a hard time not tapping your feet as the album progresses through transitional stages of heavy blues explosion, and rock sensibility, without losing that pop sound at times.The sum of the parts work well, and if you were to take away one element, you would still have a strong alternative record, but when you tie in all the pieces, you get something outstanding, and that's what makes this a must have...If you see their names on the marquee, you better get a ticket, because this will most likely translate well into a live performance."- Sell Out Records

"There is no best way to describe the music of Whiskey N' Rye as they have such a unique and fresh sound that fuses elements of country and rock with some blues and alternative, making it impossible to pin down in one confined musical sphere...I really don't know if this album could be any better." - Rick Jamm, Jamsphere

"You are all phenomenal!!! I'm going to love playing your music!!" -DJ Skys, Indie Showcase Radio

"I love what Whiskey N' Rye is doing style wise. AMAZING stuff!" - Taxi