Is it a revival yet? The Hill Country Revue continues the Southern rock onslaught Thursday and Friday at the Continental Club. Despite the name, they are not local – this hill country refers to an area in northern Mississippi.
Formed by Cody Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars when his brother and bandmate Luther joined up with the Black Crowes, they take their name from the area where they grew up. It’s also an homage of sorts to the music they make, a modern version of the blues championed by R.L. Burnside and Junior Kimbrough, who also hailed from the region.
“We’ve played South by Southwest a couple of times,” Dickinson explains. “The first year we did a radio performance and they all thought we were from Texas. It’s our second home away from home. It’s almost like a joke because the Mississippi delta is sea level or below. When it gets to a certain part of northern Mississippi, it gets really hilly and it’s beautiful country. That area is a very fertile ground for the blues, the Junior Kimbrough/R.L. Burnside stomp originates from there.”
Dickinson claims to be unaware of the surge of bands making music in the tradition of the Allman Brothers and Little Feat. Still, he’s cheered to hear that there are other bands like HCR playing blues-rock jams with spirit. “We’re bringing it back. I thought it was kind of funny that it was so old fashioned by today’s standards. But the fact that there’s a resurgence of good old Southern rock? It needs to happen.”
HCR just released its second disc, Zebra Ranch (Razor & Tie), which finds the quintet hitting its stride with twin guitar leads that recall the Allmans, but also swampy blues that reflect its origins. Dickinson steps out from the drums to wield a guitar and lead the band.
“There was a moment in the studio when we were recording when I felt a collaborative effort start to kick in and that’s when I knew we had something,” he says. “I take a lot of pride in leading the band but it’s definitely a group effort. We started to come into our own and take on an identity. The music had a sound that is ours. That kind of thing can’t be faked.
“Another thing is that we’re signed to a label and that’s a real badge of honor for us. I love working with the people at Razor & Tie. I get a lot of good advice. We wrote and recorded a ton of stuff. The people I work with were able to give me the focus and that helped a lot because artists will just run in circles and work constantly if you let them.”
Zebra Ranch takes its name from the recording studio on his parents’ farm. His father, famed producer Jim Dickinson, passed away last year, but managed to influence the band with his spirit.
“As I was making this record it was a really sad time for me,” Dickinson relates. “Losing my dad was very hard. It still is. I was struggling with it. I found a strength and comfort in the whole zebra motif. One of his production techniques was ‘don’t think about a zebra.’ I started to name the record that and the music started to come. Then I started wearing zebra top hats and I got some zebra tennis shoes. It’s comforting for me. It’s in his memory.”
Fans of the North Mississippi Allstars should be heartened to hear that the band is simply on hiatus at this point. Dickinson reports that he and his brother are planning a new record and a healthy touring schedule for next year.
This article appears in Rick Perry (Digital Edition).