Second Is Better Than First. Part 13.

 

George writes

Have you ever wondered what the North Mississippi All-Stars would sound like if they were good?

Have you ever wondered what a modern-day blues-psychedelic power trio like Cream or The Jimi Hendrix Experience could sound like today?

Well, today’s band answers those questions, in spades. Two absolutely tremendous heavy-soul-funk-rock albums today, from some blokes from the tourist hell that is Bath, and a song that is One Of The Ten Best Songs In The Entirety Of Popular Music.

And man alive are these records (well, cds) loud. 

The debut, Great Vengeance And Furious Fire is, well, it’s unsubtle, musically and lyrically (where I can make them out). A relentless ten tracks of sweaty, loud soul-rock (etc), and it is interesting to hear  of what could pass for elements of some 60s songs (Dignity has elements of Keep On Running, and In The Morning is reminiscent  of Foxy Lady).. There is not a bad track on the album. And that was a great way to spend 33 minutes of my life listening to it again. See, a proper album, no filler, no need to fill a cd up with nonsense, just ten tracks all of them three or so minutes long.

The Heavy - Coleen

The second album, The House That Dirt Built, is more of the same. Ten tracks, loud etc, with the addition of some backing singers (eg Oh No! Not You Again!!) and some funky horns.

And the second track is remarkable, outstanding, it’s yes, OOTTBSITEOPM, Elements of James Brown, it’s tight, loud, it builds to a fantastic crescendo, And the following track I suspect is a tribute to Screaming Jay Hawkins’ I Put A Spell on You. (Back soon, I’ve got to go for a lie down, such is the intensity of excitement at playing the album). I like how you can hear influences of all sorts of genres in the songs, a bit of Enrio Morricone a bit of Black Sabbath, all with The Heavy’s own thumping style. As the second member of our three-bloke  curry might say, TOPTASTIC! And all coming in just under 39 minutes.

Enough of these blethers, Songs:

The Heavy - Sixteen

The Heavy -No time

I’ve not included, obviously, OOTTBSITEOPM.

Look, these are two fantastic records, and if you don’t own both, shame on you! 

Thank you kindly.

CC writes

I've never heard or heard of The Heavy before now. I enjoyed these songs.However, I must take issue with you about the North Mississippi All-Stars.  I saw them once and they were very good. So there.