Former Athens, now Atlanta singer/songwriter Ralph Roddenbery isn’t a paid motivational speaker, but he very well could be. Roddenbery’s songs often focus on the perseverance of life’s scrappers and underdogs, which bring to life much of his self-titled band’s new release, For So Long.

Former Grapes guitarist Ted Norton, drummer Richie Jones, bassist Tommy Jones and additional vocalist Samantha Alessi-Jones join Roddenbery here. The filled-out group brings a more up-tempo and rocking sound than was heard on the intimate, mostly acoustic release Live from Tree’s Sound Studios. Some songs are longtime concert staples, while others arrive fresh from the looseleaf. Throughout, the group keeps the show rolling with a sharp blend of roots and jam rock, blues, Americana and country inflections.

One of Roddenbery’s greatest strengths as a lyricist and singer is that although he often comes across as sentimental or unshakably positive, he never sounds schmaltzy, preachy or trite. On a revamped “Fix Myself,” Roddenbery, in his raspy country tone, suggests he’s trying to do better, trying “to fix myself, but it’s getting pretty hard to find the parts.“ The country-flavored “HDL Walken” documents the many hard-earned “hundred dollar lessons” that inspired the song, while “Paper Doll in a Forest Fire” is a driving, love-damaged ballad that many of modern rock’s emotive crooners couldn’t touch.

For So Long may reflect a bit more polished version of the Roddenbery Band than most are used to hearing in joints around Athens and Atlanta. But, it’s still a solid and diverse representation of they way they work live onstage, the forum in which Ralph and the gang shine brightest. The album, which finally captures some of Roddenbery’s strongest and most requested tunes on tape, is a perfect take-along for roadtrips or short drives around the immediate outdoor universe.

Michael Andrews