How being a roadie for ANTiSEEN merits a recording contract is one of lifes great mysteries. Yet such is the case with Gideon Smith, former amp-humper for the Southern boogie metallers that ran with GG Allin. As expected on South Side Of The Moon, Smiths influences run the Grand Canyon of diversity: from Lynyrd Skynyrd to the Allman Brothers. However, while Smith and crew arent exactly diverging from the Southern rock of Roadsaw, Cocknoose and so on, the musical precision and searing solos on these 13 tracks are relatively impressive. Its only when Smith opens his mug, singing about tripe like being freaked out by posters of wizards and living the life of an outlaw, that any outright rockin is negated. Were Smith to find a competent lyricist and preferably a singer with some range beyond boring old tenor South Side Of The Moon would be unstoppable. As is though, it fails to provide anything lasting.
(Small Stone)Gideon Smith & The Dixie Damned
South Side Of The Moon
BY Keith CarmanPublished May 20, 2008