Review: The Deadly Snakes

The Deadly Snakes
“Ode to Joy”
(In the Red Records)

Somewhere in a bar in the Deep South, The Deadly Snakes is playing on a jukebox.  Tracing the pure roots of rock and roll, The Deadly Snakes focus more on the delta blues-driven style of rock.  With a hint of The Stones and a touch of The Animals, the first sounds on the title track, “Closed Casket”, of pounding drums accompanied with the slamming of piano keys, sets the ideal mood for driving to a dive bar somewhere on the wrong side of town in a beat-up El Camino.

All the men raise their glasses of Old Crow for “Playboys”, while swagering in unison to the perfect drinking groove.  But what sets The Deadly Snakes aside, from say, other blues rock acts that tend to bask in the media glory, is that The Deadly Snakes are good old boys doing what they do best.  They respect the roots of their music without exploiting it.  “Ode to Joy” is the perfect accessory for a drive through the country with the windows down and the music loud.