t.Roy & The Smoking Section – “Southeast Texas Son”

t.Roy & The Smoking Section – “Southeast Texas Son” – Single Review

You’re a long, long way from home there partner.

I hope y’all out there always appreciate just how far your music can travel in the internet era.  It’s not that it couldn’t cross borders & whatnot before our days online of course, but it sure as heck took a whole lot longer.  We’ve got t.Roy & The Smoking Section from down south of the line based out of Asheville, North Carolina, posting up here on our Canadian pages today, with a song that’s all about days that trace back even further to t.Roy’s roots as a “Southeast Texas Son.”  You see what I’m saying?  Music covers the map quite quickly these days, flowin’ right over the borders and across the sea with ease…and in this particular case, if you’re looking for a little more syncronicity in your world and those coincidental tie-ins that make this planet seem even smaller, this USA-based band put out The Texas Grit EP on my Canadian-ass birthday this year.  Small world, ain’t it?  It’s true – it is…but that’s part of what makes it as awesome as it genuinely is…we’re all within reach, in less than six degrees of Kevin Bacon.

I can definitely get behind this tune – “Southeast Texas Son” is simply a fabulous piece of songwriting, executed to perfection, and that’s really all there is to it.  Easy peasy, as they say…you know, flawless songs come along every single day.  C’MON NOW!  You know it ain’t nearly like that whatsoever – I mean what I say about “Southeast Texas Son” being audibly perfect, but finding songs that are as well-rounded as this one is doesn’t just happen every day…and you can trust me on that, I’ve spent my life listening to new music every single day.  It takes a lot of things to happen in order to get things just right – the musicianship, the writing, the vocals, the moment itself…all this stuff has to magically fall in line for everything to go this seamlessly.  In the case of “Southeast Texas Son,” you’ve got the charisma of the front-man t.Roy of course, who seems like he’s got the role of a sincere entertainer nailed down tight.  You’ve got an incredible cast of stunning players like Lenny Pettinelli (Piano), Ben Bjorle (Bass), Josh Courts (Drums), Ken Bailey (Steel Guitar), and the Southeast Texas legend himself, Scott McGill on the slide guitar grindin’ it up for ya.  You’ve got vivid memories and tangible nostalgia from t.Roy’s writing that reflects brilliantly on his days growing up in Beaumont, Texas…so remarkably real that you’ll want to pack up your things and move there no matter how far away you are in the world right now.  This mecca t.Roy’s describing sounds like it’s got it ALL…free flowing whiskey, endless sunshine, babes all over the place…you get the idea…he’s giving you a guided tour to what made his days as a young man memorable to this very day.  Beyond all that cool stuff, I think the world is in a great place to turn a tune like “Southeast Texas Son” right on UP where it belongs…it’s a little bit Country, a little bit Soul, toss in some Classic Rock in the mix…it’s a hybrid vibe that is timeless, tried, tested, and true.  Great solos in the mix for ya…excellent instrumentation in this band backing up t.Roy as The Smoking Section as well.  The most you’ll find me conceding to ya is that “Southeast Texas Son” ain’t recreating the wheel, but that’s not the role every song needs to play…sometimes you just want to reach for something entirely reliable, flawlessly smooth, and designed to be turned up loud & proud to keep the party goin’ long & strong.  This is THAT song…a track that’s got that southern soul front & center, and a vibe that’s sure to get the people movin’ with a genuine smile on their face as they dance the night away.  You can’t ask for more than that at the end of the day…”Southeast Texas Son” radiates authenticity.  You can’t fake a sound as true as this one is, and credit where credit is due, that’s the result of writing what you know – this is the soundtrack to a life well-lived as told by the very man who lived it, and it honestly sounds freakin’ superb.  Definite thumbs up from me…it ain’t in my usual genres, so you know there’s a high degree of crossover appeal to be found here – true authenticity, fun, and style for miles is always sincerely convincing to listen to.

Find more music by t.Roy & The Smoking Section at the official channel at YouTube here:  https://www.youtube.com/@user-wb2mi9dl9o

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