'South Bend', The Sulentic Brothers Band, self
released, 2003

Southern rock has never been the same since the plane crash that killed and injured many of the members of Lynyrd Skynyrd. That's too bad, because The Sulentic
Brothers have a CD here that deserves wider attention. The band covers Skynyrd and other Southerners in their live show, but the ten songs here are original. 
A few, like 'Roll the Dice,' are derivative. But they are all powerful and well played.
The CD opens with a quote by Senator John McCain ('God will show you mercy ' we will not.') and leads into the patriotic anthem 'Old Glory.' That vein continues on the fifth cut with 'Faded Glory,' which says, 'We've got to show the world what we're made of.'
Some of the best cuts are the slower ones. 'It'll be Alright' a pleasant number mixing acoustic and electric guitars that is in the vein of the Allman's 'Ramblin' Man.' 'Free Ride' has the same mix, but has a more dramatic feeling.
The interesting thing about the CD is that there are three lead guitars, a la Skynyrd, but there is not much rhythm playing. Instead, there are interlocking riffs with both acoustic and electric guitar. And as befits a Southern rock band, there is solid jamming on songs like 'Madness' and 'See You In My Dreams.' 
This band proves that Indiana has that Southern spirit (and anyway, they are from South, not North, Bend). Hopefully we will hear more of them around the Bend.

- Dave Howell

http://www.sulenticbrothersband.com/