Charleston, South Carolina native Matt Chase and Washington, Georgia’s Chris Rogers played bars together for years before they decided to formalise what they were doing into a duo as Southerland. Meeting through mutual friends, the natural progression into a duo was resisted for a while until the two realised the potential they had. Following a handful of track releases Southerland released their debut EP ‘Boot EP’ back in 2021 to rave reviews from people who loved classic Country with a 90s vibe. You can read our review here.
Here we are in second quarter 2023 and the guys are back with a follow up, self-titled EP showing, again, what skilled writers they are and how they can cover a range of styles and moods across this beautiful genre we call Country music.
Speaking on the EP the duo said, “This EP is a long time coming. Since our last collective release we have been working really hard in the writers room and in the studio to capture the magic of who Southerland is and wants to be. We can’t wait for fans to hear it. It’s one we can truly hang our hat on.” Never a truer word spoken. The six tracks on ‘Southerland’ really shine in terms of artistry, melody and impact and the duo continue to impress and progress their careers towards, what we hope, are the ‘big leagues’ one day.
Across the EP you’ll encounter a range of styles. ‘Ain’t For Me’ is a moody, mid-tempo Jason Aldean-leaning banger reminiscent of his ‘Old Boots, New Dirt’ era as the guys sing about ‘being all about giving that girl what she deserves.’ It’s an obvious choice for a radio single with it’s melodic cadence and elongated, singalong chorus. It also has a searing guitar solo, for those of us who still love that touch in our Country songs. Similarly, ‘Down the Road’ is another ‘big’ song propelled by thumping drums. This track gives us ‘Red Dirt Road’, Brooks & Dunn vibes. It’s a song about freedom and is going to be a live classic in Southerland’s set list with a rocking final third that could easily be extended into a cracking live jam session.
Elsewhere the 90s vibes run wild on ‘Underpaid and Overserved,’ a straight-down-the-line, blue collar, bar room song that pays tribute to those folks putting in the time in manual jobs and working those fifty hour weeks. Think early Luke Combs jamming with 90s Garth Brooks and you’ll be somewhere near the touchstone here. ‘Ice Cold Country Music’, meanwhile, a post-relationship drinking song, also brings the honky-tonk vibes as the duo declare that ‘the only way this heart is getting through this is with some ice cold Country music.’ The chorus is a strong one and one made for beers-in-the-air singalongs in dive bars and arenas alike.
Two further songs on ‘Southerland’ highlight the diversity and depth that the duo also can bring to the table. This EP isn’t just drinking songs and party vibes. ‘3 Minutes’ and ‘World Without You’ both highlight the duo’s sensitive side and their ability to write honest and relatable Country music. The former, written for Chris Rogers’ wedding, is a tender, emotional love song about only having 3 minutes in a song to say how much you love your partner. ‘I put it in a Country song because that’s all I know how to do,’ he sings on this acoustic ballad with plaintive steel flourishes and a strong melody. ‘World Without You’, meanwhile, is a bigger ballad driven by drums and big production values. Some skilled writing and references highlight the duo’s use of powerful imagery on this love song meaning you can almost see the deft hand of co-writer Jessi Alexander behind it too.
There’s something for every fan of Country music on Southerland’s second EP. A little bombast, a little booze, a little romance and a whole lot of heart. The duo take you on a journey through the genre with both skill and melody being at the centre of everything they do. In an era where there aren’t many duos having big commercial success aside from Brothers Osborne and Dan+Shay, this duo is slowly evolving and progressing into something more than capable enough of entertaining the masses and producing honest, impactful, quality Country music.
Tracklist: 1. Ain’t for Me 2. 3 minutes 3. Down the Road 4. Underpaid and Overserved 5. Ice Cold Country Music 6. World Without You Record Label: Vere Music/ADA Release Date: April 21st Buy ‘Southerland’ right now.
