Muddy Moonshine – Are We There Yet?

Muddy Moonshine
Are We There Yet?
Inverse Records
March 18th, 2022
Playing time: 51:02

Originally, Muddy Moonshine was a three-piece blues band. Formed in 2014, mainly to play shows in pubs. Temporarily, the band had six members. In the meantime, Muddy Moonshine are a quintet. One year later, the debut EP “Distilled In Finland” was released. The first album “Muddy & Wild” followed in 2016. Two singles were released last year and the second album “Are We There Yet?” was released in March this year.

Already the opening song “Under The Moon” spreads finest Southern atmosphere. Tuomo Varjola’s voice sounds so Southern Comfort flavored that you can’t believe he doesn’t live in the south of the United States, but in the south of Finland (Vantaa – north of Helsinki). From that point of view, this is Southern Rock after all. This continues with the next songs, but somehow the excessive guitar solos are missing. Here the boys should probably get a few suggestions from the Allman Betts Band, among others. Surely one can hear such solos partially, as for example in “Charm Of Drinking Hard”. Oh, and which drinks the musicians prefer can be heard just before in “Corn Whiskey A Go”. Bourbon instead of Finnish vodka. Here you feel transported to a smoky saloon. A journey through space and time, so to speak. By “Why, Why, Why” the Finns rock blithely away. On YouTube you can find a lot of songs with the same name, but it has nothing to do with all of them. “Into The Night” rocks in Lynyrd Skynyrd waters. “Son Of A Gun” then goes one better. Probably the best song on the album, also and especially because of the superbly played guitars. What a solo. I would have loved to hear more of it. Much more. At the very end, “Me & You” is a great ballad for the ears.

“Are We There Yet?” is certainly not a Southern Rock high-flyer. Muddy Moonshine can’t (yet) reach the greats of this genre like The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Molly Hatchet or the already mentioned Allman Betts Band. But it is fun to enjoy this sound. Also, because it sounds very authentic. Lovers of Southern Rock will have their pleasure with this album.

Muddy Moonshine – Charm of Drinking Hard / Me & You: https://youtu.be/2r2NtzicavQ

Lineup:

Tuomo Varjola – Vocals
Jonne Rytkönen – Guitars
Saku Manninen – Drums
Jarmo Ikala – Guitars
Kim Sandström – Bass

Track list:

• Under The Moon
• Crystal Riders
• Sold Out
• Corn Whiskey A Go
• Charm Of Drinking Hard
• Distilled In Bayou
• Why Why Why
• In A Dream, In A Song, On A Movie
• Keep On Riding
• Into The Night
• Son Of A Gun
• One More Time
• Me & You