Matt Bohannon - Go Back To Your Roots (2025) Hi-Res

The Bohannons are one of Chattanooga’s finest exports, who make heavy rock ’n’ roll that’s equal parts Motörhead and Neil Young, with lead guitar chops that rival both.

The Bohannon brothers go solo with fine results. Marty and Matt Bohannon are brothers from Chattanooga, Tennessee. After over twenty years of playing together and delivering some mighty southern rock, they decided to split for a while. Rather than one Bohannon album, we get two solo projects released simultaneously. Expecting to hear two very similar records, we have been served two completely different dishes using similar ingredients but from a different recipe.

Matt Bohannon’s aptly titled “Go Back To Your Roots” is a different experience altogether. ‘American Nightmare’ gets straight to the point and is a call out to the nation. “We took the real American dream and turned it into what you see”. The vocals halfway through channel Talking Heads David Byrne in their delivery. It is a powerful opening track and a song for our times. ‘Gone Too Soon’ appears to lighten the mood as Bohannon advises us to ignore the news and have some fun, but at the back of it all is an underlying sadness: ” Life it ain’t worth living / When it’s filled with regret.”

The title track is a slow, creeping tune with a brooding backbeat. Bohannon’s vocals are low in the mix. It feels like you are conspiring, sitting around the fire, and having to lean in to hear what is being said. The ending has a prog rock feel, which works well. Bohannon reminds us to let him know when we return to our roots. Unfortunately we may be a while but a reset is certainly required by some.

‘Play On Words’ is a fantastic raucous jig and reel which live would have the whole place on their feet. The collection has some heavy themes; this is a great way to blow off some of the steam and have a real hoedown. The record ends with another boisterous cut of pure joy. ‘Highway 41’ drives along as Bohannon gets louder and louder and it he is having a great time. The guitar picking is outstanding.