I like the new Govt. Mule CD , ‘By A Thread,’ more every time I listen to it.
It’s actually made the Top 30 at Megatunes in Calgary, which is both a good and a bad thing. Good because it’s about time people discovered the beauty of the Mule, but bad because now they’re not my favourite little secret any more. I and several hundred thousand others in the know now have to share them with the masses.
It helps that ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons trades solos with Warren Haynes on the scorching first track, ‘Broke Down on the The Brazos’ it also helps that Haynes has one heck of a powerful voice, can lay down some big southern rock guitar riffs, add a bit of reggae and a mess of other influences. He can belt out a nine minute blues tune like ‘Inside Outside Woman Blues #3’ as well as he can croon a disturbing ballad like ‘World Wake Up.’ He touches on a variety of lyrical themes from raving against the Patriot Act” to tender love.
He uses a lot of electric 12 string which has some delay and a bit of chorus added to it to add to the ominous though still rocking feel of the frighteningly good “Railroad Boy.” The lyrical delivery will chill you to the bone. I love the frenetic organ solo on this track as well.
I also love the big Wild T and the Spirit style riff on “Any Open Window,” in which Haynes and the band adds a little funk.
Govt. Mule covers all bases on “By A Thread,” and there are some massive jams, ‘Monday Mourning Meltdown’ clocks in at a mellow eight minutes. “Inside Outside Woman Blues #3” is nine minutes of wah wah drenched psychedelic rock. And ‘Scenes From A Troubled Mind’ is disturbing seven minutes plus. ‘By A Thread’ is a thing of beauty.
Band: Govt. Mule
Genre: jam rock/southern rock
Record label: Evil Teen Records
