Album Review: The Plott Hounds 'Living Free'

Hailing from various states in the U.S., The Plott Hounds released their debut record, Living Free, on July 7th. The band, consisting of Noah Alexander on lead vocals and rhythm guitar, Jeff Powell on lead guitar, Shea Maranaon bass guitar, Ross Schulz on the drum kit, Colin Wymore on slide guitar, and Zach Sershon on keyboards, combines their talents into a record that reminds one of Skynyrd or contemporaries like Whiskey Myers.

With its undeniable southern rock feel, the album kicks off with “Southbound;” full of electric guitar and piano, the song is about heading to that place, Georgia, that’s always on his mind.  That authentic working man sound, brought to life both with the instrumentation as well as Alexander's Eddie Vedder like vocals, continues into the anthemic “Living Free or Dying To Try,” The Man You Need” and the rollicking “Drinks With Ghosts.”

With fourteen songs, the record does include breathing room on tracks like “This Ain’t No Country Song,” “Daylight,” “Where Did You Go” and the stand out, “You & Me,” an emotional duet that highlights the band’s ability to pack that emotional punch.

Living Free also includes the spirited “Growing Young,” about sharing life and chasing dreams with the one you love, the bluesy “Better Go,” the swaggering “Sweet Lovin’,” the mid-tempo “Flying Away” and concludes with the somber “Storm Clouds.”

If you are a longtime fan of Southern Rock or if you are looking for something new, definitely give The Plott Hounds’ Living Free a listen, it’ll be worth your while.

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