Til The Medicine Takes
Athens, Georgia's second most popular band does a little redecorating here, tightening up its patented sprawling jams into more manageable soundscapes and adding strings and horns to its already expansive musical palette. While losing some rough edges and quirky spontaneity, Widespread Panic manage to provide an intriguing bridge between the old and new sounds of the South. While the band is quick to shrug off comparisons to theAllman Brothers, there's still a loose rhythmic groove that recalls their Macon forebears, especially on "Climb to Safety," which follows a beautiful loser through his loss of faith and attendant redemption. The dark subject matter is what you'd find in any Southern Gothic, but there's a modern twist, a dash of sinister organ, and some undeniable emotional fire. Unlike some of the other entrants in the jam-band school, Widespread Panic are as likely to incorporate aBlack Sabbathlick or aTalking Headsrant into a song as they are to purloin aGrateful Deadriff, proving they're more children of the '70s than just another Southern boogie band.--Jaan Uhelszki