The prestigious Alligator label out of Chicago is renowned for its blues roster. With the exception of Mavis Staples’ ’04 release on the label and the injection of strong elements of soul into the blues of some of their artists (Shemekia Copeland, the Holmes Brothers, Curtis Salgado), authentic Chicago blues remains its mainstay. Southern Avenue – named for the famous Memphis street that leads straight to the Stax Studios – is a marked foray into soul country. While elements of the blues are present (Southern soul is, by definition, a component of Memphis blues), this is a soul release underlining the notion of ‘family’: Tierinii, Tikyra (“T.K.”) and Ava Jackson are sisters, while the band’s fourth member, guitarist Ori Naftaly, married to Tierinii, is clearly part of the family.

The band’s fourth release (first for Alligator) is aptly named, as it’s clearly aimed at underlining the strength and chemistry of ‘family’ – and is, in their words, “the sound of destiny fulfilled.” Lead singer and key songwriter, Tierinii, melds with drummer/singer, T.K. and violinist/percussionist/singer, Ava, to serve up 14 tracks which fuse elements of Memphis soul, R&B and gospel together with elements of blues (thanks to the guitar contributions of Naftaly). While their 2017 debut leaned a little closer to the blues (with Luther Dickinson sitting in) and a greater spotlight on Tierinii’s standout vocal power, Family has softened considerably with its revitalized emphasis on being ‘a foursome’ – creating music together which they claim is stronger than anything they might’ve come up with individually.

Without question, Southern Avenue has the gift of groove. The soulful vocals of Teirinii and her two sisters achieve a velveteen funk across “Long Is The Road” while drums and Blake Rhea’s bass provide a fat, rhythmic bottom as guitarist Ori Naftaly and B3 player Jeremy Powell sprinkle subtle leads so as not to break the spell. The gentler “Upside” leans heavily on Powell’s B3 as Tierinii struts the soft power of her voice. The song closes on a gentle duel between Naftaly’s lead guitar and Powell’s B3, set against a wall of Jackson sisterly singalong.

The band adds Luther Dickinson on bass to “Found A Friend In You”, adding an upbeat kick to the vocals against a liquid guitar line. Ava’s violin enters the scrum as all three singers take this joyous arrangement to hill country with its amalgam of blues, gospel and soul.

Tikyra’s funky drum intro to “So Much Love” sets up Tierinii smooth vocal as Rhea’s slinky bassline helps all three sisters add depth to this jazzy bit of soul. It’s a light, breezy detour aided by Naftaly’s lean guitar lead and Powell’s great touch on B3.

Naftaly cuts loose with slippery slide as the Jackson’s ‘wall of vocals’ propel the 41-second “Family”, which – somewhat sadly – serves as little more than a bookmark.

“Late Night Get Down” is a taste of the street with its hand-clapping motif, as bass and drums add punch to Naftaly, who finally gets to flex and inject some sting into his contribution against a heavy backdrop of B3.

The quick pulse of “Rum Boogie” begins with guitar, adding a bit of slide and B3 as Tierinii chronicles their success as a band. An intricate arrangement includes more hand-clapping and standout piano (Powell) yet the song meanders all over lot, falling short in

the melody department.

Ava’s bass drum and high-hat intros “Gotta Keep The Love”, which is a lovely bit of soul led by Tierinii, wrapped in the lush, loving harmonies of both sisters. This is beautifully produced and a keeper song with a touch of funk, featuring Naftaly’s lean but tasty guitar work and Dickinson’s return to bass.

“Sisters” has a touch of the bayou which never really develops into a song over its short life, yet the three singers do their ‘Andrews Sisters Meet The Pointers’ very convincingly and the innate musical relationship between the three is significant.

“Kept On Moving On” is another :39 second bookmark, making for an odd tease.

“Back To What Feels Right” returns to a funk feel with Powell’s electric keyboard and Ava’s perky beat as Naftaly gets a little license on guitar. Again, the song doesn’t quite show itself but the vocal interplay is, as always, stunning.

One of the best tracks on this release is “Flying”. Guitar-driven, the contrast between Naftaly’s darker edge and Tierinii’s beautiful tone is distinctive as bass and drums pound out a starting point for Powell’s B3 to generate some absolute power.

If angels harmonize, you’ll hear what that sounds like in the soft introduction to “Believe”. Too bad it’s another under-a-minute bookmark that never gets to develop into a complete composition. Lyrics are important but never at the cost of the music they’re attached to.

“We Are” is a bit of a rousing anthem. It’s near-military snare, recessed guitar line and great B3 gives way to little more than a listing of the band’s/family’s positive traits. It’s got a measure of pop in its construction but, as a song, it never gets far off the page.

This is a band oozing with potential – as evidenced strongly by their debut. They seem to be trying to create something slightly artificial in a world where more positivity may well be needed – but the real power comes from serious lyrics grafted to memorable melodies. Clearly a work-in-progress, it’s the remarkable calibre of these sister’s voices – and their ability to harmonize – aided by immaculate production (John Burk), which helps Family rise far above any shortcomings. It seems that their songcraft and overall direction could use some help. Heaven help us (in a good way) should they arrive at the proper mix and demonstrate their full capability. (Eric Thom)