It isn't every day I come across a new
and original band that makes me want to rave, but The Bloody Jug
Band not only managed to just appear out of nowhere with
haunting, horror soundtrack quality rockabilly folk to better your
swamp killer personality. Their newest CD Rope Burn has been
on constant play in my car (the only place I have a CD player) since
I got it a few days ago. I like to listen in the car for several
reasons like roll up the window and you can hear the brilliance of
every instrument assaulting your ears, roll the window down and the
rest of the world is forced to listen in, the latter is the best way
to make those who haven't heard of The Bloody Jug Band ask
“who is that!” Well let me tell you...
The Bloody Jug Band is made up
of Florida swamp-noir rockers Cragmire Peace (Vocals/Washboard – or
as I like to think of him, the deep gravel devilish voice, and
washboard is so fitting), Stormy Jean (Vocals/Percussion – with a
voice somewhere between tortured angel and siren), Big Daddy Jerm
(Jug/Percussion – the jug, my friends, is an eerie percussive
instrument), Brian ‘Shredder’ Blodgett (Acoustic Guitar/Mandolin
– the nickname Shredder comes honestly, although I'm not sure if
it's because he can seriously shred on a mandolin or something more
sinister. We'll go with both), Seth ‘Funky’ Ambler (Bass/Washtub
– when it comes to keeping the low end plaintive in hell, there's
no more impressive bottom than that of a washtub), Bloody Rick Lane
(Harmonica – tortured souls wail to this harmonica), Steven
‘Steevil’ Marshall (Electric Guitar/Banjo – a shredder in his
own right with banjo licks like the fire of hell), Baby Dingo
(Cajon/Spoons – I want a cajon, its like a whole drum kit in a
box!), and of course every band needs a Franklin Glory for
inspiration and good times (we had a guy named Loyal who became our
Unkle Chuck mascot at bar gigs).
The hardest part about reviewing an
album is I want to go down the playlist and talk about all 13 songs
equally. But honestly I can't say enough about each one. So I'll just
limit this review to my favorites (which is likely harder than just
picking a couple songs) and leave it up to you to tell me how the
others stack up (believe me they do)...
I'll start with 13 Steps which
features the chain gang cadence “When the hammer comes down”
(when the time comes), “Pour me one more round,” “When the
Hammer comes down,” and Stormy Jean wails about the reason for her
13 step walk to the gallows. The haunting vocals and lyrics resonate
with loss and vindication a midst a flurry of country western banjos
and slamming percussion. It makes me envision a dark themed western
in which the condemned will eventually return to wreak havoc on those
that have wronged her.
Next up is Beautiful Corpse with
Cragmire Peace's broken glass graveled voice whispering a
necrophiliacs love story shrouded in spoons, cajon, Stromy's backup
vocals, and wicked banjo licks. If any film makers are out there
writing a serial killer movie where the lead is getting his death
fantasy's out on women who have spurned him this would be the perfect
song for that first meet scene that takes place in a bar and involves
her throwing a drink at him. I also listened to this song while
editing Joel Kenyon's story for our Horror Fiction section and I
suggest you do so while reading it.
Dance with the Devil is
“Footloose” in hell. No, seriously, it has that creepy foreboding
feel that just needs that one demon to inspire the rest of the demons
to dance even though there are laws in hell against having any fun.
The only song on the disc that features a duet between Craigmire and
Stormy about a cheating bastard and her revenge. It's a pretty
jamming dance tune with shouts of “dance” and rhythm that reminds
one of the finale to a fore mentioned film right down to the last
line that really wants you cut loose.
Grab a Jug is a mellow life
sucks so lets have a drink and dance song. “Grab a jug and let the
moon shine down on me” is only one of the clever lines Craigmire
and Stormy harmonize with banjo, tambourine, and harmonica. Easily
one of the songs you'd expect a group gathered around a bonfire
kicking into. Not horror related but a fun and catchy song.
Unfortunately I keep expecting a reprise of the chorus after “C'mon
lets dance!” I believe this song can last forever!
You can't help but love a song that's
not only called Forest of Blood Thirsty Unicorns but includes
clever rhymes and rhythms that regurgitate dark renditions of happy
fantasies. The Jack and Jill bit that tells us Jill never came back
down the hill is my favorite. Reminiscent of the song “Hey There
Little Red Riding Hood” by Sam the Sham and the Pharoahs. Craigmire
sounds like Wolfman Jack and Stormy tears into the song like Grace
Slick. Oh, and there really is blood thirsty unicorns. As a
literature freak I love the “grim” retelling of those popular
tales. Listen for this one in this years Halloween Music for Your
Ghoulish Night in October!
As an honorable mention I have to add
the clever and angsty version of the traditional old song Gal of
Sorrow (entitled Man of Constant Sorrow as made popular by the
Soggy Bottom Boys in the Coen Brothers odyssey film “Oh Brother,
Where Art Thou”). Stormy's siren adaptation of the song is leaden
with pain while Craigmire's haunting echoes reverberate her story.
I'm pretty sure I want this song to close our “No Trespassing”
film.
The Bloody Jug Band's news CD
Rope Burn is
available for purchase from their website as well as digital download
on all major sites. Definitely check out their Website
where they have tons have swag for sale (I'm personally wanting a
T-shirt and a few pins) and a taste of the album ready to be heard,
like them on Facebook,
follow them on Twitter,
check out their Reverb
Nation page and of course, see them back up Ke$ha on their
YouTube
page!
As luck would have it the folks of The
Bloody Jug Band have sent me an extra copy of the Rope Burn
CD and I would love to be able to give it away! I will give it to the creepiest comment we receive below in the comments section between now and June 30th. The winner will be judged and announced here on
the website on July 4th. So start commenting, 1 per person please, we are looking forward to your creepy comments!
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