Moonshine - Moonshine (2014)

Genre - Hard Rock / Classic Rock / Southern Rock / Blues Rock

Label - Perris Records 

Track listing:

01. Mississipi Delta Blues

02. Warm Beer Catfish Stew

03. The Devils Road

04. Fortunate Son

05. The Last Song

06. Mamas Kitchen Brew

07. Southern Blood

08. Turn Me Around

09. Fade Away

10. The American Train

Babylon A.D. frontman Derek Davis is releasing the self-titled debut disc from his classic rock band MOONSHINE, a strongly blues infused combo he founded in the nineties.The album was recorded at Eddie Van Halen's 5150 studios more than fifteen years ago but never saw the light of day until now.The brief press release states that Moonshine transpires southern rock with a bluesy heart in a classic rock mould, and with song titles such as "Mississipi Delta Blues", "Southern Blood" or "Fortunate Son" you can assume that.
But let me tell you people, musically Moonshine goes much far than that.
What we have here is an awesome collection of hard rocking songs in the classic rock traditional way. With a foot firmly put in a bluesy foundation, yes, but as said, rockin' and swaggerin' as hell.
Produced by, at the time of recording, Van Halen's bassist Michael Anthony (who also provides backing vocals) this ten-track corker is delicious as a candy apple.
The songs were composed by Davis which groovy vocals fit the the material like a glove, fantastic guitar player Creg DeFalco, and his colleague Buzzy James who provides the southern flavor on some tunes with a great slide guitar work.
Opener "Mississipi Delta Blues" is in fact a kickin' hard rocker in the Aerosmith vein circa Draw The Line, follower "Warm Beer Catfish Stew" mixes Damn Yankees with Lynyrd Skynyrd, and then the midtempo ballad (acoustically filled) "The Devils Road" makes you think about Tesla.
As you see, the first three songs are classic American rock sounding, inspired by (hard) rocking bands, and the rest of the disc it's in the same direction.
So, don't be fooled, "Moonshine" is not a southern / blues record. This rocks, and rocks great.
"Fortunate Son" (CCR cover) feels like Eighties .38 Special, "The Last Song" is very Tesla again, the extremely melodic rocker "Mamas Kitchen Brew" has something of Trixter in it, while "Turn Me Around" and "The American Train" recalls Great White.
As you read again, this CD is quite hard rockin' ! And so well composed, arranged, played and produced that you can't believe it was not released back in a day. F@ck you grunge....
Do yourself a big, big favour: get this CD at any price. It's excellent. It's being sold and distributed by Perris Records, a label with a keen for good rocking music.

VERY VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Rating 10/10