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Widespread Panic is an anomaly as far as rock bands go.

For one thing, there is the band’s longevity — they have been recording for 22 years with very few line-up changes. Now with the release of Free Somehow, Widespread Panic demonstrates another reason why they are an anomaly in rock & roll: After more than two decades and nine previous studio albums, the band has delivered nothing less than their tightest, most accessible, most “rock” album ever.

From 1986 to 2002, Widespread Panic had only one change in membership, the addition of keyboardist John “Jojo” Hermann in 1992. In 2002, however, cofounder/lead guitarist Michael Houser lost his battle with pancreatic cancer and was replaced by George McConnell. McConnell was the lead guitarist on Panic’s next two recordings — 2002’s Ball, coproduced with their longtime producer John Keane, and 2006’s Earth To America, which was made with engineer and producer Terry Manning. Prior to recording their second album with Manning, McConnell departed the band, and was ultimately replaced by guitarist Jimmy Herring, legendary in the South and on the jam band circuit for his six-string skills.

It is instructive to listen to Panic’s three post-Houser albums in succession because you can literally hear the band building to the musical peak reached on Free Somehow. It is easy to hear what Manning brings to the equation — a beefier, rock sound. It is even easier to hear what Herring adds.

It is common for groups who are famous for their live performances to have difficulty recreating that energy in the studio, which in turn, prevents them from becoming recording stars. From the opening riffs of the leadoff track, “Boom Boom Boom,” Widespread Panic signals they may finally be ready to make the leap from top touring act to hit makers, and no small amount of credit goes to Manning and Herring.

That is not to suggest that the producer and guitarist have in any way altered who or what the band is, but instead they have helped the group more fully realize itself in the studio. Make no mistake, lead vocalist John Bell and bassist Dave Schools remain the guiding creative forces in this veteran outfit, and like jazz cats, Panic’s core of “JB,” Schools, Hermann, drummer Todd Nance and percussionist Domingo “Sonny” Ortiz keeps getting better with age. But Manning has made their recordings sound significantly better and most bands will never have a guitarist as gifted as Herring. He brings more than flashy chops to the music, he makes the band’s melodies soar.

It is important to realize the band has reached this point honestly. This isn’t a case of a producer crafting a hit sound for a group, but rather a producer knowing what to do with the band’s sound in the studio so their recordings are as majestic and alluring as their live performances. The result is an album that sounds as big as the band actually is. The aforementioned “Boom Boom Boom,” “Flicker,” and the first single, “Up All Night,” are all good examples of their more muscular sound.

Free Somehow also includes some of the group’s best songwriting ever, most notably “Tickle the Truth” and “Walk On the Flood.” They admittedly channel Dylan on the former and serve up as hard a slice of rock & roll as they have ever recorded on the latter. Both songs are lyrically sophisticated; their choruses vary each time through in subtle, yet significant ways, while their verses slip seamlessly from subjective personal moments to larger social commentary.

As the title suggests, after 22 years, Widespread Panic is free somehow, an impressive accomplishment no matter how you look at it. This is a band that has persevered when lesser bands wouldn’t have, and if this record is any indication, there is every reason to believe their best is yet to come.