ALLEN FORRESTER BAND: Same (2023)

Two guitarists from New York (Josh Allen and Ben Forrester) team up with a drummer and a bassist from Germany. A live
release is coming out in 2020 and now here is a first studio album.
On its website, the group loudly proclaims that its music is directly inspired by the Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd
Skynyrd. Well done ! But what is it really?
Right from the start, it starts off well with catchy foot-tapping rock (“Knock me down”). Effective guitars support the
muscular country-rock “Burning daylight”. A six-string solo full of emotion embellishes a slow song full of soul (“Phases of
the moon”).
But the best is yet to come with two pieces in the southern style, “Hey Carolina” (a beautiful ballad with a good melodic
solo) and “Soundtrack of my summer” (in which George Jones, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson, Allman Brothers Band and
Lynyrd Skynyrd are quoted).
The record ends with an acoustic blues played by the two guitarists (“She knows what I’m all about”).
A nice production which will not revolutionize the musical world but which is pleasant to listen to..
Olivier Aubry

Translation : Y. Philippot-Degand