Review Summary: To the very heart of blues
To be honest, I did not expect Gov’t Mule to surprise us with a blues album, half of which is filled with covers. At worst, I expected something along the lines of what
Eric Clapton has been releasing over recent years – top-grade performances and boring content born from waning ambitions and elderly grumbling. At best, material similar to what we see on
Joe Bonamassa’s records: a middling effort with several gems that shine as if trying to say, “There you go, this is what you could get more of if the output were a bit scarcer.”
Bu the veterans produced such a heap of dynamite that its sheer volume is enough to blow the minds of bluesophiles for decades to come, in both directions!
Heavy Load Blues justifies its title in spades, and even a single listen is quite sufficient to place the LP among the band’s very best.
Without a doubt, an all-blues release was long overdue for Gov’t Mule. The musicians play in a closely related genre, regularly sprinkling their blues-rock with trademark elements like heavy, fast riffs, extended improvisational solos, and even progressive touches. Each of their albums contains cuts performed in a staple blues vein. Moreover, the band is a powerhouse live, often playing blues and progressive rock classics. And so, taking advantage of the prolonged touring pause caused by the pandemic and lockdowns, the band’s vocalist, guitarist, and leader, Warren Haynes, decided to record two albums (though one might guess we can expect another release down the line that will be more traditional for Gov’t Mule).
According to Haynes, both LPs were recorded simultaneously in the same studio, but split into two different rooms. For
Heavy Load Blues, they allocated the smaller room, setting it up precisely the way recordings were made in the 1960s – with the band members sitting close to each other and working exclusively during the darker hours (while daylight periods were spent on the other album). The vocalist even brought in vintage equipment, including period-correct instruments and amplifiers. This resulted, as the chief ideologist put it, in a sound reminiscent of records made between 1955 and 1975. And it is truly so. When listening, you immediately and completely lose yourself in the recreated atmosphere of the 1960s and 1970s – slightly resonant, with occasional noise and crackle, yet resoundingly lush and vivid!
The album features covers of songs by artists such as
Howlin’ Wolf,
Elmore James,
Junior Wells,
Ann Peebles, Bobby “Blue” Bland,
Tom Waits, and
The Animals, balanced alongside the band’s own compositions in an approximately 50/50 ratio. In one interview, Warren confessed that on the one hand, they just wanted to do what made them happy, while on the other, they hoped to attract a younger audience’s attention to the blues. Both of these intentions are palpable throughout the record. It’s been a while since I heard something so sincere, made with such deep respect for the genre and the selected cover tracks. At the same time, any of the new originals can easily stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the classic cuts, even though Haynes an co. threw in a few of their signature elements (speed, heavy viscosity, and a distinct rock flavor).
Taking the bulls by the horns, the album starts with a classic,
Howlin’ Wolf’s
Blues Before Sunrise, presented strikingly and expertly, before plunging the listener straight into the smoke- and passion-filled atmosphere of a dive bar on the lavish, self-penned track
Hole in My Soul. And, to be honest, it’s been a while since I’ve heard anything as ferocious and raw as
Wake Up Dead – a cut of such strength I haven’t encountered even on previous Gov’t Mule release. Another track demonstrating the band’s revitalizing approach to the genre is the multi-part, inventive
Snatch It Back and Hold It > Hold It Back > Snatch It Back and Hold It, with Haynes’ guitar demolishing any doubts as it expertly balances between blues, rock, and jazz. Then there is a visceral reinterpretation of/tribute to
Tom Waits on
Make It Rain, capturing his spirit not only in the instrumentation but in the vocals as well. One of the standout tracks is arguably
I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline), which acquires an ominous metallic flavor thanks to its heavy riff and inherent gloominess. Finally,
Black Horizon – a sort of acoustic blues-western – serves as an excellent closing track.
However, even though I’ve highlighted several tracks, it should be noted there isn’t a single cut that feels extraneous or marginal. All the songs on
Heavy Load Blues are worthy of attention, and the album is best appreciated when heard in its entirety, dedicating just over an hour to the experience.
In the end, the new LP presents both a tribute to the music that shaped history and a bold reinterpretation of it. It’s worth noting that while Gov’t Mule isn’t strictly part of the traditional blues scene, they still managed to record something so powerful that it could serve as a masterclass for any musician trying to succeed in the genre. And for anyone who doesn’t know or understand what the blues is all about, you can simply play this record and rightfully declare, “This is it.”
