#reviewoftheweek / John Butler Trio - Flesh & Blood

John Butler Trio has always brought a unique twist to rock and roll and folk music since they formed and began putting out music. Their latest incarnation features a new drummer, but they're doing everything fans have come to expect from their music. This time around, however, they've left the harder stuff behind for a more rootsy and folksy sound. Each song tells a story, many from John personal life, while mixing lyrical excellence with some of the funkiest and, at time, mellowest instrumentation. "How You Sleep At Night" and "Spring To Come" are excellent specimens of the lyrically driven folk songs on this album. The funky stuff comes on the form of "Livin' In The City" and the first single "Only One." JBT bring elements of reggae and some killer electric guitar solos together on the album's longest song "Blame It On Me." The album is titled well as the band and it's namesake's flesh and blood are connected to each and every song on the album, and is a solid, and possibly the most connected, set of songs JBT has released to date.