Few writers or songwriters capture the spirit of the “Dirty South” the way Grayson Capps does. His previous work, encompassing songs included in the film “A Love Song for Bobby Long,” a screenplay written by his father, as well as four studio albums and a live album, are filled with Southern gothic images, gritty characters and biting commentary.

He continues painting realistic images of life in the South in his fifth studio release, “The Lost Cause Minstrels,” out now on Royal Potato Family Records. Much like his previous releases, Capps' music embraces the funk of New Orleans, the blues of Mississippi, the laziness of the country and the excitement of the city. His unique blend of Southern music styles is at once recognizable, and his lyrics continue the bite, but with a more mature attitude.

The album explodes with the opener “Highway 42,” a blazing rocker featuring a guest appearance by Jerry Marotta (Peter Gabriel) on drums. “No Definitions” and “Rock 'n' Roll” are just two more examples of Capps' no-holds-barred approach to Southern rock.

But, as usual, Grayson and his band go far beyond the call of duty with songs like the joyous horn-driven “Ol' Slac,” an ode to the rebirth of the Mobile, Ala., Mardi Gras, featuring a backup vocal by his son, Waylon, or “Coconut Moonshine,” one of his classic character sketches, this one based on the owner of a roadside barbecue stop in Mississippi.

Capps also delivers two classic gems in his covers of Taj Mahal's “Annie's Lover” and Richard Rabbit Brown's “Jane's Alley Blues.” In his own way, Grayson Capps is like a modern-day Mark Twain, writing about the land he loves, the people who inhabit it and the odd situations they get themselves into, in a way to which everyone can relate. That, in my book, is no lost cause.

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