Muscadine Bloodline – … And What Was Left Behind

Review

…And What Was Left Behind unfolds like a love letter to southern night drives—steeped in nostalgia, moral reckonings, and the landscapes of coastal Alabama. The album stitches together moody tales with sun-bleached guitar riffs and soulful storytelling, painting moments of grief, loyalty, and small-town defiance with equal parts warmth and grit.

Tracks like “Chickasaw Church of Christ” carry bittersweet weight, while the twisted hymn of “Ballad of the Blanton Brothers” dives deep into vengeance-fueled lore. Then there’s the rollicking guitar in “Durward,” a campfire-ready twang that flips into bluegrass energy, and “Hittin’ My Stride,” where funk-leaning southern rock grooves collide with playful bravado courtesy of Ben Chapman. Even quieter moments like “Meant to Be Friends” linger beautifully, showing that every stylistic twist still loops back to heart.

This companion piece to Coastal Plains isn’t a retread—it’s an evolution. With every jangly chord and narrative bend, Muscadine Bloodline digs deeper into their DNA, proving they’re just hitting their stride—not just telling their own stories, but defining the shape of modern southern country. - Holly