Remember hard rock? No, not alternative, not metal, not punk, not acid rock. Just good, old-fashioned, beefy, brawny, bluesy, hard rock. This power trio keeps a dying form alive, but not in a revivalist sort of way. Their ferocious but very soulful blend of blues rock and Southern boogie is a natural outgrowth of their musical influences, and with a tour docket that includes more than 200 shows a year, they've honed their sound to a fine edge. Life Before Insanity is their fifth record, but only their third studio effort, and it's their sharpest work--even though they've always been the most focused of all the jam-oriented ensembles. They've managed to craft a diverse and hardy 74-minute album, using a variety of moods, structures, textures, and time signatures, without ever really straying from their robust core sound. One minute Warren Haynes is trading searing licks with Ben Harper, the next he's deep inside a beautiful acoustic ballad, then he's blistering through a Robert Johnson cover with steely slide guitar. As with any hard-rock band worth their weight, there's a bit of arena-rock drama, but it's inevitable when you match brains and muscle. --Marc Greilsamer