by Andrew Leahey Formed in 2004 by vocalist Jared Weeks and guitarist Jason Null, Saving Abel combine riff-heavy hard rock with sexually charged lyrics and Southern rock influences. The quintet took root in Corinth, MS, where Weeks and Null cut their teeth in different bands before merging their songwriting talents. In early 2005, the duo's music attracted attention from producer Skidd Mills, who invited Weeks and Null to record in his Memphis studio. Juggling day jobs and regional gigs, the two began driving back and forth between Corinth and Memphis, sporadically recording their self-titled EP with Mills while assembling a full lineup comprised of guitarist Scott Bartlett, bassist Eric Taylor, and drummer Blake Dixon. Within a year, the EP had earned Saving Abel a contract with Virgin Records, and Mills returned to helm their full-length debut. Combining new material with the EP's best songs, the self-titled album was issued in March 2008.