Adam Hood: Bad Days Better
Photo by Justin Cook
Adam Hood is a self-avowed maker of Southern songs. “One of the t-shirts I sell at every show simply says ‘Southern songs’ and that's a good summary of what I do. It's what I've always done." When Hood’s lyrics are not actually checking off the names of cities around the South they still speak from the perspectives of the best of our Southern writers. "It's southern music," he says, "That's what it represents: the soulful side of southern music, the country side of southern music, the genuineness of southern culture, and the way I grew up.”
Alabama is where Hood grew up and where he lives today. It’s where he has spent most of the past two decades making songs with lyrics that tell universal messages and music that is decidedly regional. Adam found his musical voice early on and has never wavered, giving us now five studio albums full of songs written about family, friends and faith. Much of his new record Bad Days Better released on September 16 centers around faith. Producer Brent Cobb recently released a gospel record, and more Americana musicians are stepping up with openly religious-themed songs. Not that these are new themes for Adam Hood. His lyrics have always been a safe place for traditional values including the love of a good woman, whether your wife, your mother or maybe a daughter, the joy of good friends playing music together and living a simple life appreciating what you have while giving thanks.
From the opening strains of acoustic guitars on the title track Adam lets you know how Bad Days Better is going to sound. The music is simple; picked guitar with accompanying slide and a funky groove. The lyrics are positive; “Even in the bad times the sun’s gonna shine on me/ I’m gonna make the bad days better than the good days used to be.” Hood has a room full of friends playing in one of the most Southern of all places. He chose the legendary Capricorn Studios in Macon, Georgia to make the new record and enlisted the help of some very Southern-famous musicians including Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke on guitars along with drummer Brit Turner and his brother, bass player Richard Turner, also from the band.
The groove continues and adds an organ with the announcement that there has been a change: “Dealin’ with the Devil’s been hard as Hell/ Now I’m doing business with Jesus”. Warren Haynes co-wrote “Throw Me a Line” and the tune features a tasty slide solo to the blues track. Miranda Lambert joins Adam for “Harder Stuff” which includes the line “I have my reasons for movin on/ these days liquor don’t write my songs.” Charlie Starr and Brent Cobb share writing credits on this one and I can already imagine it being featured in their solo shows.
The full band plugs in for “Can’t Stand Leavin” a straight-ahead rock song with another sweet slide guitar. Bob Seger would loved to have had this one back in the day. Before we get carried away, Hood backs everything down and reminds us where we are: “Everybody moves at the speed of light/ and I barely get around movin at the Speed of the South.” Brent Cobb shares writing credit on “Flesh and Blood” dealing with the Road and its trials and temptations: “I wasn’t meant to live, not like this/ nobody said it’d be a breeze still I never thought it’d be this hard”. He also helped write “Don’t Do It” which sounds like it could have come out of Leon Russell’s Church Studio in Tulsa.
This record needed a country love song and here is “Low Road” to the rescue: “The upside to this living is at least I’m not alone/ the downside is you’re not here with me.” The last of the singles released before the album, “Livin Don’t Give a Damn” has a groove that Hood says was inspired by Delaney & Bonnie and Derek & the Dominos.
10 new songs from Adam Hood adding to his incredible catalog and the Blackberry Smoke trio giving a stellar performance give Bad Days Better an early vote for Record of the Year in whatever category you want to place it.
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