Songs of Anarchy: Music from Sons of Anarchy: Seasons 1

If you've been following Sons of Anarchy on cable or streaming past seasons, you're a fan of a band called The Forest Rangers. You would be forgiven for not realizing that this band has produced the great music behind SOA Seasons 1 - 4, since their work consists mostly of cover songs. Which brings us to the pronouncement that there are cover bands, and there are Cover Bands. You know the difference when you hear it. Great covers are really just in the tradition of musical tributes that stretch back to the days of jazz and blues. Most bands were cover bands throughout history, if you look at how much tribute they paid to the musicians and songs that came before them. So music producer Bob Thiele, Jr. (son of the late Bob Thiele) and his band of merry Forest Rangers has conspired to produce an album of cover songs that capture the feeling of Sons of Anarchy.

Okay, the "merry rangers" reference was a joke. Sons of Anarchy is a show about many things, but merriment doesn't rank high on the list. SOA is dramatic and gripping, even soul searching at times. Common themes are betrayal and loyalty, sacrifice and loss, and violence. Lots of violence. The flip-side of carnage is explored frequently during the show, with tough-guy characters who show they are all too human underneath their armored exterior. The music selected here wouldn't immediately suggest these themes, but the way Thiele and The Forest Rangers perform these songs brings everything together. Take the rendition of "Fortunate Son," done here as a spare string duo to contrast with what most listeners have in their ears from years of listening to the CCR version. Thiele and Lyle Workman turn in what may be my favorite alternate version since we heard Sleater-Kinney cover "Fortunate Son" in recent years.

Fans of CCR or more recent groups like The Black Keys will appreciate the approach taken by Thiele and his group for Music from Sons of Anarchy: Seasons 1 - 4. The song selection has a certain roadhouse aesthetic, in line with the setting of the show. Blues-heavy, and rousing songs like "John the Revelator" and "House of the Rising Sun" sit side-by-side with honky-tonk ballads like "Bird on a Wire." Beautiful versions of "Forever Young," "Someday Never Comes," and the Billie Holiday classic "Strange Fruit" remind you that SOA is a show that can break your heart. Other great covers are included here, all given a unique twist by the band, including "Son of a Preacher Man," "Hey Hey My My," and "What a Wonderful World." On the balance, it's an eclectic mix of music, but the band's vision is clear and stays true to the hard-rocking, heart-on-my-sleeve ethos that comes straight from the show. It would have been easier to just license all this music for Songs of Anarchy, and it's likely that 80% of the fans would have never noticed the difference. For the more discerning fan, the extra effort put in to record original versions of these great songs pays dividends, making Songs of Anarchy: Music from Sons of Anarchy: Seasons 1 - 4 more than just a compilation of music you already own.