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Fortress [ECD]
10/03/2000 3:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Bob Gulla
Sister Hazel, the Gainesville, Florida, grassroots rockers, have nurtured a large and loving audience by virtually living on the road. That hard work--and a little luck--pushed their debut Somewhere More Familiar into multiplatinum territory and spawned a couple of smash singles ("All For You" and "Happy"). In turn, that success pushed a low-key release by a bunch of good guys' guys into storybook rock 'n' roll fantasy territory.
Fortress, the band's follow-up, is also a success in that it's an equally solid batch of exuberant, straight-off-the-road rock tunes top-heavy on melody, soaked with charming singalongs and good performances. What's most surprising is that it maintains its melodic strength and momentum throughout its length, from the opening driver "Change Your Mind" to the closer, a brooding, six-minute epic that gives the album its title. Sonically, the band ends up somewhere between the organic vibes of the Band, the irresistible guitar boogie of Southern rock, and the jam sensibilities of bands like Blues Traveler and the Spin Doctors. They never overreach or innovate, just dish out as many straight-up helpings of rock as their audience can handle. It may not be dangerous, but the musical world is safe in the hands of Sister Hazel.
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