ZACH WILLIAMS AND THE REFORMATION
''ELECTRIC REVIVAL''
APRIL 7 2009
44:25
1 /Set You Free 4:15
2 /Fools Gold 4:21
3 /Can U Feel Me 4:50
4 /Empty Dreams 4:09
5 /Stronger 3:01
6 /Angel with a Broken Wing Feat. Luther Dickinson 6:25
7 /Two More Days 4:11
8 /Without You 3:21
9 /Take Me Home 5:00
10 /Midnite Ride 4:52
Zach Williams - acoustic guitar, harp and vocals
Red Dorton - bass guitar and vocals
Robby Rigsbee - slide guitar, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar
Josh Copeland - rhythm guitar and lead guitar
Creed Slater - drums and vocals
Luther Dickinson - slide guitar
Review
by William Ruhlmann
Some new and developing musical artists resent the tendency of critics to describe their efforts by using the "sounds like" game, feeling that any similarity they are said to bear to earlier artists suggests they are not original. This doesn't seem to be a worry for Arkansas-based Zach Williams and the Reformation, who are described in the press release announcing the appearance of their debut album, Electric Revival, as looking and sounding "like they stepped off of a bus that's been in time travel since 1975." More specifically, that bus might have originated in Macon, GA, or the magical state of Sweet Home Alabama, the stomping grounds of the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. ZWR, as they like to call themselves, consist of four members, the singer and acoustic guitarist Zach Williams, two lead guitarists (Bobby Rigsby and Josh Copeland), and a bass guitarist (Dustin "Red" Dorton). For recording purposes, they have been augmented by a drummer, two keyboard players (one of whom, of course, plays the Hammond B-3 organ), and several female lead singers. It's the sort of instrumentation one needs to play Southern rock, and that's what ZWR do, led by Williams, who sings in a soulful, gravelly voice that is (you guessed it) a cross between Gregg Allman and Ronnie Van Zant, and those two guitars, playing riffs that date back to Chuck Berry and up to Duane Allman. ZWR have the sound down pat. What they don't have quite yet is the repertoire. Their original songs are steeped in their chosen tradition, and now and then they break out of the subject of love and its troubles to consider the need for community ("Stronger") or the passing of an aged mentor ("Take Me Home"). But even then, they cannot resist or transcend clichés. Thus, they sound like a bunch of guys who have spent some time in a Southern rock tribute band while working up their own material in a similar vein. It's just that there's nothing as memorable here as the better songs of the bands they sound like.
About
By Wikipedia
Zach Williams & The Reformation is an American rock band formed in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 2007 by the group of Zach Williams (acoustic guitar, harp and vocals), Red Dorton (bass guitar and vocals), Robby Rigsbee (slide guitar and rhythm guitar), Josh Copeland (lead guitar, rhythm guitar and vocals) and Evan Wilons (drums). The band took their name from the desire to reform or revitalize the southern rock sound.
History
2007 to present
In February 2009, the band hit Young Avenue Music Studios in Memphis, Tennessee to record their first album "Electric Revival". The record was released in May 2009.
"Angel with a Broken Wing" was the best-received song on the album, with help from Luther Dickinson on slide guitar.
Over the course of the year the band toured throughout the region in support of the first album with some of the highlights being a show at Gruene Hall and a show at State Theatre with Hill Country Revue, which consists of several members from North Mississippi Allstars.
In 2009 Zach Williams & The Reformation signed with the Teenage Head Music booking agency from Belgium. In December 2009, the band announced a three-week tour of Europe, including shows in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Spain.
In the summer of 2010 the band made a one week stop in both Guam and Japan in support of Armed Forces Entertainment.
In April 2011 ZWR released "A Southern Offering", their second album. June 2012 ZWR returned to Spain for a 3-week tour with great reviews, sold-out crowds and a rock-star welcome.
''ELECTRIC REVIVAL''
APRIL 7 2009
44:25
1 /Set You Free 4:15
2 /Fools Gold 4:21
3 /Can U Feel Me 4:50
4 /Empty Dreams 4:09
5 /Stronger 3:01
6 /Angel with a Broken Wing Feat. Luther Dickinson 6:25
7 /Two More Days 4:11
8 /Without You 3:21
9 /Take Me Home 5:00
10 /Midnite Ride 4:52
Zach Williams - acoustic guitar, harp and vocals
Red Dorton - bass guitar and vocals
Robby Rigsbee - slide guitar, rhythm guitar, and lead guitar
Josh Copeland - rhythm guitar and lead guitar
Creed Slater - drums and vocals
Luther Dickinson - slide guitar
Review
by William Ruhlmann
Some new and developing musical artists resent the tendency of critics to describe their efforts by using the "sounds like" game, feeling that any similarity they are said to bear to earlier artists suggests they are not original. This doesn't seem to be a worry for Arkansas-based Zach Williams and the Reformation, who are described in the press release announcing the appearance of their debut album, Electric Revival, as looking and sounding "like they stepped off of a bus that's been in time travel since 1975." More specifically, that bus might have originated in Macon, GA, or the magical state of Sweet Home Alabama, the stomping grounds of the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. ZWR, as they like to call themselves, consist of four members, the singer and acoustic guitarist Zach Williams, two lead guitarists (Bobby Rigsby and Josh Copeland), and a bass guitarist (Dustin "Red" Dorton). For recording purposes, they have been augmented by a drummer, two keyboard players (one of whom, of course, plays the Hammond B-3 organ), and several female lead singers. It's the sort of instrumentation one needs to play Southern rock, and that's what ZWR do, led by Williams, who sings in a soulful, gravelly voice that is (you guessed it) a cross between Gregg Allman and Ronnie Van Zant, and those two guitars, playing riffs that date back to Chuck Berry and up to Duane Allman. ZWR have the sound down pat. What they don't have quite yet is the repertoire. Their original songs are steeped in their chosen tradition, and now and then they break out of the subject of love and its troubles to consider the need for community ("Stronger") or the passing of an aged mentor ("Take Me Home"). But even then, they cannot resist or transcend clichés. Thus, they sound like a bunch of guys who have spent some time in a Southern rock tribute band while working up their own material in a similar vein. It's just that there's nothing as memorable here as the better songs of the bands they sound like.
About
By Wikipedia
Zach Williams & The Reformation is an American rock band formed in Jonesboro, Arkansas in 2007 by the group of Zach Williams (acoustic guitar, harp and vocals), Red Dorton (bass guitar and vocals), Robby Rigsbee (slide guitar and rhythm guitar), Josh Copeland (lead guitar, rhythm guitar and vocals) and Evan Wilons (drums). The band took their name from the desire to reform or revitalize the southern rock sound.
History
2007 to present
In February 2009, the band hit Young Avenue Music Studios in Memphis, Tennessee to record their first album "Electric Revival". The record was released in May 2009.
"Angel with a Broken Wing" was the best-received song on the album, with help from Luther Dickinson on slide guitar.
Over the course of the year the band toured throughout the region in support of the first album with some of the highlights being a show at Gruene Hall and a show at State Theatre with Hill Country Revue, which consists of several members from North Mississippi Allstars.
In 2009 Zach Williams & The Reformation signed with the Teenage Head Music booking agency from Belgium. In December 2009, the band announced a three-week tour of Europe, including shows in the Netherlands, Belgium, France, and Spain.
In the summer of 2010 the band made a one week stop in both Guam and Japan in support of Armed Forces Entertainment.
In April 2011 ZWR released "A Southern Offering", their second album. June 2012 ZWR returned to Spain for a 3-week tour with great reviews, sold-out crowds and a rock-star welcome.
