Reviewed by Harry Kaplan

Jackson’s Flank is a talented group of musicians from the Fredericksburg, VA area. They derived their name from the Jackson’s Flank Offensive during the Battle of Chancellorsville in the Civil War. It was one of the most successful battles for the Confederate Army during the War. I think Jackson’s Flank’s fate will be more successful than that of the Confederate Army’s. It is hard to deny their grunge leaning style. Although grunge is prominent, so is southern rock. This hybrid gives them a sound all their own. The musicianship, vocals, and lyrics give this EP a very professional and polished sound. Not too polished, though. It still has a rawness and some edge.

Can’t Say Goodbye (Track 1) starts off with a riff reminiscent of the Drive By Trucker’s song Angels and Fuselage. That is where the similarities end. The song quickly adds vocals and really nice harmonies in the chorus: “Tell Me Why, I Can’t Say Goodbye”. A great song about a broken relationship and trying to get over a lost love. The song has a moving guitar solo followed by a nice sensitive section and ends in a nice crescendo. I would say that this is my favorite song right now. Here I Go (Track 2) is a good follow up to Can’t Say Goodbye. Another song about troubles in a relationship. This song is a little less noisy, but still has its hard driving moments. Great guitar work, vocals, and harmonies really add accents to this tune. Thank You (Track 3) delivers great melodies, vocals, and guitar solos. A perfect blending of hard and soft. Another very nice ballad. The EP ends on a strong note with a bit of a rocker called Got To Fly. This song is definitely something that most closely resembles southern rock. It is about leaving a relationship and again blends the soft and the rocking seamlessly. The guitar solo really builds and I could see this song getting some serious airplay.

My only complaint is it’s too short. Only four songs. That is an appetizer portion. I want the main course. Hopefully, they will oblige us shortly with an entrée portion full length release.

You can choose how you wish to purchase and listen to this EP here.