Rebel Meets Rebel wasn't good, okay? I'm saying that here because I never got around to saying it and more importantly, this is how it's done. Gideon Smith and The Dixie Damned took about seven years for the follow-up to their debut, but South Side of the Moon with its thirteen tracks make up for it in variety and sheer number. The songs on this album alternate between fuzzy heavy southern rockers and the psych tinged ballads.

Indian Larry and Save a Dollar for the Dead are text book fuzzy heavy southern rock goodness and Black Cat Road adds an Elvisian boogie twist over a half-beat. Gideon, an ex-Antiseen roadie, has the most glorious baritone of all the southern style singers and his great voice and delivery completely drive both the rockers and the ballads. Talk about ballads, the first half of the album has two of these gems in Blacklight Wizard Poster and Daughter of the Moon. Feather's Shadow is a half-ballad, half-rocker and is totally taken out of 70s rock 101. With some swinging drumming, organ and bluesy heavy fuzzy guitars, this shit is so fucking on.

My Darling Black Rose and Magic Queen showcase a lot more of the heavy psych leanings of these guys and it's all done flawlessly well, blending with all the purist southern rock bizniz. Time for another laid back ballad - Shimmering Man with its psychedelic backdrop, sweet acoustic guitars,  very to-the-point-yet-interesting drumming, Gideon's amazing vocals and the drone ending make this my absolute favourite song on this album. And I want that fuzz pedal!

Lay Me Down in Ecstasy is another ballad, this time with reverberating clean guitars complimenting the acoustic guitars and again Gideon doing a Danzig. I adore how backing vocals and synths are used to add to the feel of this song. With no drums, this is the most chilled out the album ever gets. As a complete contrast, the next song Devil's Night is an ass kicking reminder to the days of Alice in Chains, but it's made to fit Gideon's own scheme of things. Way of the Outlaw centers around a great blues based heavy riff and the album closer The Wolf will Survive sounds like Gideon's take on a typical Five Horse Johnson song.

Quite a well-rounded album from Gideon Smith and The Dixie Damned. Next time, a lot earlier and a little shorter please. Recommended to the fans of Five Horse Johnson, Dixie Witch, Sixty Watt Shaman, Molly Hatchet, Alabama Thunderpussy and so on.

Label: Small Stone
Year of Release: 2008