Royal Southern Brotherhood released their third studio album, Don't Look Back, at the end of May on Ruf Records. Recorded at the historic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, the release is the representative product of a tight band full of veteran musicians. Produced by Grammy Award winning producer Tom Hambridge, the record features the group's new lineup with guitarists Bart Walker and Tyrone Vaughan joining Cyril Neville, Yonrico Scott and Charlie Wooton. While each member of the band is a highly talented and accomplished musician, Neville is certain to be the most recognizable name with his storied career that includes critically-acclaimed and popular releases with the Meters and the Neville Brothers.

Don't Look Back presents a couple of noticeable, but pleasant, oxymorons: it's recorded at a studio best known for the records that were cut there in the 1960s and 1970s. Secondly, Royal Southern Brotherhood is a blues band but the messages throughout the album shine with positive and hopeful sentiments. The album ranges from funky tracks like "Hit Me Once" and "The Big Greasy" to the soulful and thoughtful "Better Half" and "Anchor Me" to the world-music influenced "Penzi" with its sentimental refrain, "Every child is a good child."

The group stays true to their name on the sweet and slow "Bayou Baby" and down-home, banjo-tinged "Don't Look Back." They also have a few songs on the rocking side of the blues on this 14-track release, most notably "I Wanna Be Free" and "Reach My Goal."

Don't Look Back is available for purchase on CD at the Louisiana Music Factory and on MP3 from iTunes and Amazon. It is also available to stream for free from relix.com.

Royal Southern Brotherhood will be performing at the Bogalusa Blues Festival on September 26 and at Voice of the Wetlands Festival on October 11.

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