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May 2025

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December 2024

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[ More Music Reviews ]

The Speaker Wars: The Speaker Wars

Melodic (Country) Rock/AOR

4.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 16.05.2025 | Released: 16.05.2025

American band, The Speaker Wars, is the collaboration between drummer, producer, and songwriter Stan Lynch (Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers) and Texas singer songwriter Jon Christopher Davis. Davis was preparing to drop a solo album, but was then introduced to Lynch. Lynch agreed to write, produce, and get back behind the drum kit, thus The Speaker Wars was born. The sextet includes veteran musicians Jay Michael Smith on guitar, Brian Patterson on bass, Steve Ritter on percussion, and Jay Brown on keyboards

The Speaker Wars

Stan Lynch comments: After my tenure with the Heartbreakers, I got a second act writing and producing. It was educational beyond measure to learn how to create music from the other side of the glass. Around this time, I met Jon Christopher Davis in Nashville who casually mentioned that we should start a band. So here I am in The Speaker Wars and it's good to have my old job back. The guys in our new band know how to make great music, and I'm looking forward to another round.

Honestly, I had no expectations of what to expect with first spin of The Speaker Wars debut. We all know of Petty and Heartbreaker's Gainesville southern rock. As a songwriter, Davis delves into the genres of American roots rock, blues, and country. So, generally speaking, The Speaker Wars is classic melodic rock with obvious nods to country and blues. Or, said in another way: a melodic rock band that desperately wants to be a country band (with a pedal steel guitar).

I found this self-evident in the latter half of the album with Leave Him, Sit With My Soul, I Wish You Peace, Trader's South, and When The Moon Cries Wolf. That last song reminded me of the Heartbreaker's song Mary Jane's Last Dance: something about the rhythm and groove and the lyrical cadence. Alternatively, at the front of the album, I thought there were more melodic rock tunes, notably with Taste Of Heaven, Never Ready To Go, and the very AOR radio-friendly, You Make Every Lie Come True. But add some pedal steel or fiddle, well, they could also be country songs.

All said, The Speaker Wars, with Stan Lynch and Jon Christopher Davis at the helm, offers listeners a fine amalgamation, or twist, of American classic melodic rock with country and blues driven strong songwriting and talented musicianship. Recommended.

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

The Speaker Wars, with Stan Lynch and Jon Christopher Davis at the helm, offers listeners a fine amalgamation, or twist, of American classic melodic rock with country and blues driven strong songwriting and talented musicianship. Recommended.

Support the artist, click the link below to buy the album at Amazon (US site) in your favorite format.

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