★★★★★
Athens, Georgia roots jammers Widespread Panic unplugged for these performances, caught on the band's early 2012, 11 date tour. Since that's a pretty limited run, spreadheads should be thrilled to get a professionally recorded, beautifully mixed set of highlights from those predominately acoustic shows. This double disc delivers just under two hours of them, 20 tracks that include some fairly obscure Panic tunes and covers, a few of which are new to their repertoire...
- www.americansongwriter.com
2012-10-15
★★★★★
Fair or not, Athens, GA's Widespread Panic--WSP to diehards--has always been clumped in with "jam bands" like O.A.R. and String Cheese Incident. But WSP isn't so much a jam band as it is a groove band. And on its latest, "Earth to America," the six-piece gets its groove on. Is it any surprise that the best songs here feature lean, dark, driving rhythms, courtesy of bassist Dave Schools and drummer Todd Nance...
- www.soundspike.com
2010-12-07
★★★★★
WP's ninth studio effort, and second since the death of namesake Michael "Panic" Houser, is an evolutionary step somewhere after rebirth and before, uh, something else. Eleven-minute opener Second Skin, with its hypnotic bass line and Zeppelin-esque blues touch, is moody and exquisite, but I took it for a harbinger, which it wasn't, instead of a highlight, which it was. Outside of the aforementioned, Crazy, and You Should Be Glad, there's not much here that isn't average-to-good at best...
- www.hour.ca
2010-11-09
★★★★★
Widespread Panic's Live in the Classic City II is an example of how not to put together a live release, and it stands in stark contrast to the beloved first volume of the series. Comparisons between the two releases are inevitable, and this two disc set is the son that could never live up the older brother, the participation award winner instead of the blue ribbon holder, the comeback bid that fell short...
- glidemagazine.com
2010-11-02
★★★★★
It wasn't exactly a panic, but in August 2002, when guitarist Michael "Panic" Houser died of pancreatic cancer at age 40, fans of this most workmanlike of jam bands wondered if singer John Bell and the rest would call it quits. Instead, guitarist pal George McConnell stepped in and the card-punching continued. As misleadingly named as the sedate Georgia band itself, this album contains no dire messages for the planet...
- www.blender.com
2010-08-22
★★★★★
In 2011, Georgia's Widespread Panic will commemorate 25 years together. Change is inherent to any band that has been together for as long as they have. More often than not, loss is the source that inspires or drives the perceived change. When founding member and guitarist Michael Houser passed away due to pancreatic cancer in 2002, change was inevitable. Fortunately, for 'Spread-heads, the band continued writing and recording and performing together, as was Houser's wish...
- www.popmatters.com
2010-07-01
★★★★★
A wash of noise reminiscent of Loveless-era My Bloody Valentine introduces one of the strongest tracks on Dirty Side Down, the latest effort by the jam-band road warriors in Widespread Panic. The track wasn't written by John Bell and company; it's a cover of "This Cruel Thing" by the late Vic Chesnutt, complete with delicately plucked guitar and a thoughtful croon that perfectly evokes the longtime Panic collaborator...
- www.avclub.com
2010-05-27
★★★★★
Word from the Widespread Panic camp is that the band feels this is its best album in a decade ? and it's hard to disagree. The key is the integration of lead guitarist Jimmy Herring, a journeyman who has played with the Dead, the Allmans, and Phil Lesh and Friends, but now is an official member of the group...
- www.boston.com
2010-05-27
★★★★★
Like most ? of their ?jam-band brethren, these Georgia veterans view songwriting as a necessary evil ? a vehicle for the jazzy Southern-rock solos that are Widespread Panic's raison d'être. The band's first effort for Dave Matthews' ATO label, Dirty Side Down, is marginally more tuneful than usual; the title track sounds like low-flying Black Crowes. But the emphasis here is still on instrumental interplay: great for gearheads, a bit sleepy for everyone else.
- ew.com
2010-05-20
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