This is the final part of a trilogy of releases that began with the albums Believe and Pandelirium. Dubbed the ‘Tentshow Trilogy’, they show the band developing their sound and vision to the point where Swampblood is a finely honed statement of intent. Singer and lyricist Col. JD Wilkes delivers his most assured and convincing vocal performance, on record, to date. Previously on stage and on record he has used distortion on his vocal to enhance a certain mood and attitude. While there are still elements of that remaining, this time out his vocals are clearer and more direct. Swampblood is a tour de force from all concerned, the line up having settled down to a strong quartet that is completed by Mark Robertson on upright bass, David Lee on guitars and new drummer Brett Whitacre.
Songs like ‘Easter Flesh’ and the title track bring together various strands of their influences and their vision, that of a strong and still living southern culture. With ‘Born Again Again’, they have a song that is catchy enough to garner daytime radio airplay. Though that may give a slightly skewed picture of what the band is, given that the album has such a wealth of ideas on it and that no single track could give a complete or true picture of Th’ Legendary Shack*Shakers.
On this album the music is powerful and distinctive enough to convince those who may have doubted that the band can become more than simply a minor cult. The truth is that this a band that, given the right exposure, could gain a far wider audience than the devoted following that they currently have.
In a live situation they may be a little too full-on for some, but not for many others. I’ve seen them make their mark with a segment of an audience that was not their own. They can do that with any audience you would care to put them in front of. But here we are dealing with the music alone, and on this evidence, it’s an equally potent and vital force.
The sixteen tracks are a mix of fully realised songs and brief interludes between songs that makes for a striking overall listening experience, one that takes you into the world and wonder of swamp blood. There are fiddles and banjos, harmonicas, et al popping up all over the place. So much so that a song like ‘Jimbyleg Man’ seems to have dragged itself from a different era into the 21st century. The album was again produced by Col. J.D. Wilkes and Mark Robertson, who know best how this music should sound. And guests like Rich Gilbert add great touches to the overall murky textures.
Their blend of blues, R‘n’B, hillbilly, rockabilly and countless other strands is an intoxicating mixture that makes the heart beat faster and the blood pump quicker. Th’ Legendary Shack * Shakers won’t be for everyone, but those looking for a memorable live musical experience should roll up right now, as the show has just begun...