The members of Southern Hospitality were all playing a festival with their separate acts when they jammed together on a whim, and just as a one-night stand may eventually lead to a charming child, the positive reception of the session led to this fine offspring. Easy Livin’ is a good, hearty bowl of chili that combines all of the great Southern ingredients: Boogie piano and dueling blues guitars, providing a backdrop for gravelly lyricisms about love, relaxation, and the fine culture of our country’s lower region.
The opening track, “Southern Livin’,” along with being a combination of band and album name, encapsulates the group’s mantra. Setting the tone for what’s to follow, it is merely about doing things that feel good. I too could go for a skinny dip in the creek right now. A surprising outlier from the other numbers around it, “Don’t Feel Like Going There Today” is a song about laziness that carries a clear reggae/funk influence. “Fried Neck Bones And Home Fries” is a powerful eight-minute-long instrumental, featuring the jam skills that brought the group together in the first place.
It’s pretty clear that Easy Livin’ is meant to be listened to while, well, living easy. Sit down, crack open a beer, throw some fishing lines in a lake, and enjoy the smooth guitar fills and relatable lyrics. This music comes from the Heart of Dixie, but more importantly, from the heart of men who love both where they come from and making music, and you can’t go wrong with either of those things.
In A Word: Chill
