The Marshall Tucker band’s new release, Beyond the Horizon, can be summed up in one word.  Boring.

The mix of blues and country is conspicuous in the absence of the ingredient that is rock.  The blues has never been any less sexy and country has never been less inspired.

“Ride of Your Life” is the soundtrack to the elevator ride of your life.  “King of the Delta Blues” is about Robert Johnson or at least about the legend of Robert Johnson that was chronicled in his songs.  Something about a hellhound?  The Marshall Tucker Band forgot to add the fire of Robert Johnson’s songs when they were trying to get the story straight.

That is the major problem with Beyond the Horizon, there is a complete lack of fire or joy in the music.  Marshall Tucker was considered laid back compared to some of their southern rock contemporaries, but they still had good songs like “Can’t You See” that are still played.  That song shows up on every southern rock compilation album at every grocery store and truck stop.

My first impression of Beyond the Horizon was how it sounded like the theme songs to television shows.  It is just a piece of white bread that won’t offend, inspire or rouse any kind of emotion for that matter.

Anybody new to this band should checkout their back catalog which has recently received the remastered and re-released treatment.  That era of the band won’t disappoint. 
 
 

• Visit the Official website.
• Listen to samples and Purchase this CD online

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