While “indie rock” is still the de-facto genre for modern music, southern rock is slowly but surely making its way to the forefront, thanks to bands like The White Stripes, The Black Keys, and the latest group to hit the big time, Kings of Leon. With that in mind, The Black Hollies enter the fray not as a  spin-off of the aforementioned, but with a unique mix of ’60s flower pop and southern rock, allowing listeners take a step back in time, while making a substantial leap forward.

Neither entirely southern rock nor solely retro rock, The Black Hollies do a great job of dusting flowery vocals with psych guitars and classic drumming. The icing on the cake is the organ the band chose to toss into the mix. It rounds out the throwback aesthetic and pulls the whole musical gumbo together.

Download the first track from the album, “Run With Me Run”, below.

Check Out:
“Run With Me Run”

The Black Hollies 2009 Tour Dates:
09/04 – Hoboken, NJ @ Maxwell’s *
09/05 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge *
09/06 – Philadelphia, PA @ Johnny Brenda’s *
09/09 – Cleveland, OH @ Beachland Tavern *
09/10 – Detroit, MI @ Majestic Cafe *
09/11 – Chicago, IL @ Reggie’s Rock Club *
09/12 – Des Moines, IA @ Vaudeville Mews *
09/13 – St. Louis, MO @ Firebird *
09/15 – Athens, GA @ Caledonia Lounge *
09/16 – Atlanta, GA @ Drunken Unicorn *
09/17 – Charlotte, NC @ The Milestone *
09/18 – Norfolk, VA @ The Boot *
09/19 – Arlington, VA @ IOTA *
10/02 – Baltimore, MD @ Sidebar
10/03 – Jersey City, NJ @ 4th Street Art & Music Festival

* = w/ Benjy Ferree

Off the latest release, Come Back to the Five and Dime Bobby Dee, Bobby Dee, “What Would Pecos Do” swings you through Southern garage grit, while “Fear” is a bass heavy, soul ballad that could be cause for random outbursts of swooning. Songs like “Whirlpool of Love” convey the ability of the band to allow each track to build as a single unit, while still adding to the whole. Where the song starts is never exactly where it will end, but by the outro it all seems to fit. It’s Ferree that really steps the band up, at times pushing the songs into Jack White territory, like on the down and dirty psychedelic anthem “Pisstopher Chrisstopher”.

There are few bands I get excited about in this town, but after discovering these guys last summer, I haven’t been able to stop listening. Touring is limited to the D.C. area, which is a shame because this kind of quality needs to be heard.

Check Out:
“Fear”
“Pisstopher Chrisstopher”