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By A Thread
Participated by Gov't Mule
Studio : Evil Teen Records
by Evil Teen Records
Release Date : 2009-10-26
Publisher : Evil Teen Records
Availability : Usually ships in 1-2 business days
EAN : 0651751120525
UPC : 651751120525
Avg. Customer Rating: (based on 39 reviews)
List Price : $14.99
Our Price : $9.94
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Product Description |
Gov t Mule wildly creative and fearsomely talented rock band lauded by Rolling Stone for Successfully bringing the classic power-trio sound of Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience into the 21st Century has completed work on By A Thread - their first studio album in 3 years.
Recorded largely at Willie Nelson's Pedernales Studio in 2009, the album s origins are apparent from the first track, Broke Down On The Brazos, named after the nearby river, with a deep Texas stomp for the backbeat and featuring the trademark guitar-work of ZZ Top founder Billy Gibbons.
Marked by incredible critical and fan support they ve had over 2 million paid song downloads through their site MuleTrack.com Gov t Mule has released nearly a dozen acclaimed and bestselling albums while emerging as a major touring force, routinely headlining festivals, amphitheatres and pavilions. |
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Old Mule still kicking |
Gov't Mule does not disappoint with this classic release. Warren Haynes wields the axe with the greatest of all time. Add to his impressive guitar skills the soulful lyrics of a southern bluesman who seems to have loved and lost with the best of them, and you have a unique throwback to the mid-70's work of such greats as his own bandleader Gregg Allman, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker Band. But Gov't Mule takes it a step further by giving it a metal edge while maintaining the free will to jam out. By A Thread is easily one of their best albums, up there with High & Mighty and Deja Voodoo, classics of the singular world of Southern Rock Jam that Gov't Mule resides in with contemporaries Derek Trucks and My Morning Jacket merely renting space. When Warren Haynes comes on stage, he's not there out of the band's generous spirit, he's there because he's your daddy. Warren lays down a guitar lick better than anybody out there, and he shows it on a number of tracks, here are my favorite cuts:
1. Broke Down On The Brazos: Heavy bassline starts the album off with a thunderous lament: "Broke down on the brazos, about to lose my mind."
2. Steppin' Lightly: Playful chord progression with a catchy chorus: "One of these days...I'm going to get better." - will have you singing along long after the song has finished.
4. Monday Mourning Meltdown: "If a tear falls in the ocean, does it make a sound?" - a prophetic lyric seemingly predicting the BP spill. On this track, Haynes refuses to let Bush slide into the past, still questioning his political ascent. MMM is a gorgeous track railing the previous administration's actions: "What about all the blood on the battleground?"
7. Frozen Fear: A softer track, Warren lets the target of his poetry know that she is not alone: "Loneliness is just frozen fear."
8. Forevermore: The second in a succession of softer tracks. Another song you will be singing long after it's finished, "Can't you see? My whole world is nothing without you." Warren bares his soul on this track.
9. Inside Outside Woman Blues #3: Now this is a classic track worthy of Jimi Hendrix. Warren lays down some fat licks while describing the difference between the 'inside woman' and 'outside woman'. "Inside woman drive you out your mind; Outside woman ready anytime". This is another gorgeous song with some heavy blues guitar.
10. Scenes From A Troubled Mind: A nicely-paced song arranged to jam on, it ends with a jam session. "Thunder, thunder, please bring the rain, wash away these lies. Scenes from a troubled mind."
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Another Smoker from The Mule |
Being somewhat behind on the release of "By A Thread", I finally got it today and it's another Smoker from the Mule Team!
I read the reviews before I heard it, so I was kind of expecting a departure from what I'm used to hearing from Govt. Mule. Instead, I got the same thing that I love about this band. Good Rock & Roll with a bluesy kick and plenty of spice.
It's refreshing to hear new material from the Mule. Their new addition, bass player Jorgen Carlson, adds a grindier tone to their sound. The songs are all solid goodies and well arrainged on this album. Nobody's going to replace the contributions Woody Allen or even Andy Hess has made to the band, but this sounds great!
Billy Gibbons sits in on the first track "Broke Down On The Brazos" and you get just what you'd expect when you mix Haynes & Gibbons and stir. Kick Ass!
"Railroad Boy" is a nice dynamic with a twelve string and a Cappo and transitions well into "Monday Morning Meltdown" and "Gordon James", both a refreshing interlude before the album heats up and starts smokin' again with the next six tracks.
True Mule fans are going to add this one to their collection, and if you dont have "By A Thread" already, what are you waiting for? I waited too long.......
Hey Govt. Mule! When are y'all going to play New Mexico?!!!
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Wish I Hadn't Preordered It! |
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My husband & I are long-time Mule fans but wouldn't recommend buying this CD. It is by far our least favorite Mule release ever. It's dark and depressing, with songs like Railroad Boy. A slow song with a monotonous beat about suicide...really??? I thought By A Thread might grow on me after a few playings, but that hasn't happened. It's been packed away and we're back to playing the old stuff. |
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A NEAR MASTERPIECE - heavy heady blues tinged rock is alive, 'Warren-izzed' |
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We should all like to be ourselves. But if I could pick a currect music figure who I would trade places with (and I don't - I got a loving wife and home). But... this guy would be it. Or maybe I'd like to be his bass player and stay in the background. Either way... while mule does not produce duds, this one is nearly a masterpiece. What do I consider a masterpiece? An album that holds its own from first song to last with enough sparkling moments to make it special. Thats hard to do. Rock gods Zeppelin did it most of their career, buts thats why they are Zeppelin and hailed so highly. As at least one other reviewer mentioned, this should be on the list for the best album in its genre for the year. When I start hanging on every riff and note of Warren's guitar, when I start to feel the genious of the added organ and bass contributions. Matt on drums- also great. We are seriously on to something. My music collection approaches over 20k in ivestment. I go everywhere with the music I collect. Jazz, Blues, Raggae, Indy-Alt. The only thing I really leave alone is super hardcore death metal, pop-country, and rap/hiphop (even then I will usually be caught with some of that stuff to. I don't have time to follow live acts all of the time, but I did take a four show journey a couple years back with Mule. My favorite was them playing at 4am at the All-good festival. This album can bring blues bliss, serious heavy throbs, tears, and laughs. Its all there. Go mule. You have not fallen from my top ten, and now I want to tour a bit with them after hearing this CD. Does not get much better than this. I think there is one tune I could skip over...while others might love it - and thats Gordon James (yet even that is decent). One or two tunes shy of a masterpiece. |
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Ranks amongst their very best |
I've been listening to the Mule for about 10 years now and own most of their albums. In my opinion, "By A Thread" is their best studio album since "Life Before Insanity". This is likely due to the addition of new bassist Jorgen Carlsson. While previous bassist Andy Hess is a fine musician, I never felt like he was the right person to fill the shoes of original bassist Allen Woody following his untimely death. Carlsson is a much better fit for this band, as his aggressive playing and deep, blues-rock grooves closely emulate the sound of the original lineup. Warren Haynes responds with some of his best songwriting and playing in years. He seems to be attacking his vocals, riffs, and solos with more intensity on the heavier songs while he continues to pour great emotion into the slower tunes.
If you're a fan of Gov't Mule or heavy blues-based rock, do not hesitate to pick this one up. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. |
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