GOV'T MULE: Dose (ROCK): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

It's hard to make a second album when the first one is already a monument, even if your name is Waren Haynes, Allen Woody and Matt Abts, members of the already legendary Gov't Mule. After the thunderous success of their eponymous first opus, it took the power trio 3 years to give it a follow-up, a delay that can also be explained by the investment of the first 2 named within the Allman Brothers Band. But it is also the care brought to the composition which can justify the time separating two albums which sit side by side on the Pantheon of the blues-rock legends.

Each musician marks his territory from the first tracks. On 'Blind Man In The Dark', it's Matt Abts who builds a real rhythmic wall with his technical and powerful playing, while Allen Woody takes over the riff of 'Therozine Shuffle' with a dynamic and haunting line. As for Warren Haynes, he is once again imperial both on vocals and with his bright soli. His vocal performance on the ballad 'Towering Fool' is a true model of emotion, both deep and controlled.

Gov't Mule's style is always as wide and the big blues rock of the combo can be Heavy ('Blind Man In The Dark' or 'Game Face'), rock'n'roll ('Thelonious Beck'), moving ('Towering Fool'), heady ('Larger Than Life'), but also jazzy ('Birth Of The Mule') and even folk ('Raven Black Night'). The whole is always embellished with multiple wild jams, which is reinforced by 2 instrumental tracks ('Thelonious Beck' and 'Birth Of The Mule'). To note also 2 covers: the worrying folk blues of Son House 'John The Revelator' as well as a 'She Said She Said' that the Beatles would have difficulty recognizing so much Haynes & Co knew how to attribute it to themselves to make a heavy-blues whose final is endowed, once again, with an impressive instrumental jam.

The main difference with the previous album is essentially palpable at the level of the atmosphere. Indeed, the one of "Dose" is particularly dark and only 'Birth Of The Mule' delivers a little bit of light in a set that takes to the depths of the human soul. Let's mention 'Larger Than Life' with sounds worthy of the first Motörhead and a real masterpiece carved in ebony or 'Raven Black Night' and its mystical folk played on multiple traditional instruments.

Gov't Mule manages to innovate while keeping its roots. While their first album proved that Southern Blues Rock was able to renew itself musically, "Dose" reinforces this idea and applies it to this band, a true concentrate of inspiration and technique. - Official website

GOV'T MULE

DOSE

CAPRICORN

ROCK