(2021) Gov't Mule - Heavy Load Blues [Deluxe Edition]          


Review:
The newest offering from Gov’t Mule finds the foursome focusing on the blues via covers and Warren Haynes penned originals which sit comfortably side by side throughout Heavy Load Blues. While this might be the Mule’s first full blues album, the long running band has been infatuated with the genre since they formed, covering Willie Dixon’s “The Same Thing” during their earliest days. The modern version of the Mule (Warren Haynes – guitar and vocals, Matt Abts – drums, Danny Louis – keyboards, guitar, trumpet, vocals, Jorgen Carlsson – bass guitar) recorded live in the studio at The Power Station New England, direct to analog tape. By performing live with vintage guitars, amps and other equipment, the quartet’s sound (produced by Haynes and John Paterno) goes for the retro blues gusto and succeeds; the sonic quality of this record is top shelf. The distorted slide guitar kicks off the album with “Blues Before Sunrise” and the genre is clearly well represented as Haynes guitar and vocals shine bright. Carlsson’s thumping bass and Louis organ highlight the stout original “Wake Up Dead” while “Hole in My Soul” gets polished with smooth horns. The outfit’s tribute to their friend Little Milton, “Love Is a Mean Old World” honors an artist Mule has shared the stage with multiple times. Heavy Load Blues dives into grooving soul based tunes with the smooth take on Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City” letting Haynes deliver stirring vocals over the restrained number while the slick soul of Ann Peebles original “Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home” gets a muscular makeover, strutting with prowling sexuality. Junior Wells receives an injection of jamband Mule as the funky original tune has a new midsection instrumental added, completing “Snatch It Back and Hold It – Hold It Back -Snatch It Back and Hold It” in upbeat fashion; this is Gov’t Mule doing what it does best, honoring the past while striving for new sounds and inspiration. An older Haynes original “If Heartaches Were Nickels” is an excellent lyric and the bands version of Tom Waits “Real Gone” packs an emotional punch via Haynes vocals, but both songs also suffer from going on a few solos too long. Gov’t Mule in general tend to go for extra, it is a testament to the original acoustic numbers here (“Heavy Load” and “Dark Horizon”) that they don’t become repetitive, but some editing overall of the long running album would have made for a tighter release. While Gov’t Mule insists that the album is pure blues, one of the best efforts is their screeching play on Howlin’ Wolf’s “I Asked Her for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)” which is as inspired by Black Sabbath as the Wolf himself. That is the joy of playing the blues, they are rock and roll’s DNA, a gateway to it all, and Gov’t Mule has successfully paid homage to the genre and more with Heavy Load Blues.





Track Listing:
Disc 1
01. Blues Before Sunrise [3:45]
02. Hole in My Soul [4:30]
03. Wake Up Dead [5:55]
04. Love Is a Mean Old World [4:56]
05. Snatch It Back and Hold It / Hold It Back / Snatch It Back and Hold It (Medley) [7:56]
06. Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City [5:37]
07. (Brother Bill) Last Clean Shirt [4:13]
08. Make It Rain [6:42]
09. Heavy Load [7:19]
10. Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home [5:45]
11. If Heartaches Were Nickels [7:29]
12. I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline) [9:06]
13. Black Horizon [4:50]

Disc 2
01. Hiding Place [7:24]
02. You Know My Love [4:19]
03. Street Corner Talking [6:28]
04. Have Mercy On the Criminal [6:36]
05. Long Distance Call [4:52]
06. Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home (Extended Version) [8:37]
07. Need Your Love So Bad (Live) [5:39]
08. Good Morning Little School Girl (Live) [7:28]


Media Report:
Genre: blues-rock, Southern Rock
Country: USA
Format: FLAC
Format/Info: Free Lossless Audio Codec, 16-bit PCM
Bit rate mode: Variable
Channel(s): 2 channels
Sampling rate: 44.1 KHz
Bit depth: 16 bits

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