2/23/07, 5:00 pm EST

Assignment Six Finalist: Davis Baird on The Holmes Brothers

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Note: This is not an official Rolling Stone article. What follows is a submission to the “I’m From Rolling Stone” writing competition.

The Holmes Brothers’ State of Grace

by Davis Baird
Age: 19

Ever wondered what sitting on the front porch on a warm summer night, beer in one hand, Bible in the other, sounds like? One listen to the Holmes Brothers’ refreshingly soulful State of Grace and you might just get the idea. The Virginia-bred Brothers new album doesn’t stray far from the tried-but-true formula of energetic, spirited covers and heart-wrenching originals that define all of their previous sonic outings. It is this loyalty to the “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” mentality that gives the music the comforting familiarity of grandma’s chicken and biscuits. Their uncanny ability to rework songs by writers as diverse as George Jones and John Fogerty is a testament (a Holy testament for the Gospel-reared threesome) to their incredibly unique and vital approach to melodic interpretation. Never sacrificing the strength of the original, the Brothers draw on their own encompassing blend of rugged southern blues, bright, soulful balladry, classic country, and of course, gorgeous three part harmonies to put their own authoritative stamp on some truly great tunes. Fogerty’s classic CCR hit “Bad Moon Rising” receives a thoroughly backwoods makeover, complete with accordion and fiddle, yet you’ll still find yourself rocking out when the chorus comes rolling around. Cheap Trick’s bouncy “I Want You to Want Me” transforms into a beautiful, slow-burning shuffle that wrenches every bit of emotion out of the understated lyric. Lead vocalist and guitarist Wendell Holmes’ self-penned “Smiling Face Hiding a Weeping Heart” is punctuated by smooth, sinewy guitar lines and an affecting, straightforward message of pain and redemption. The Holmes Brothers make the kind of music that falls under the daunting, “Universally Good” category. So grab the whole family, hell, the whole neighborhood, and relax to the seamless blend of rock, blues, gospel, and country offered up on State of Grace.