Ruf Records artists: Honey Island Swamp Band - Demolition Day - New release review

I just received the newest release, Demolition Day, from Honey Island Swamp Band and it's quite entertaining. Opening with a full blown rocker, How Do You Feel with a Stones vibe, Aaron Wilkinson on guitar, Chris Mule on guitar, Sam Price on bass, Garland Paul on drums and Trevor Brooks on keys get this track rockin. With strong piano support, key guitar riffs and a sassy Bobby keys like sax solo this track is a great opener. Head High Water Blues has a swampy, Band meets Little Feat groove. Price's bass work on this track, nicely balanced with Brook's keyboard really hits on full behind the vocal work of the band. High plains rider, No Easy Way, has an ethereal western sound blended with a jazz flavor. Subdued slide guitar work and nicely accented horn work gives this track a real cool feel. Medicated has a modern R&B feel bringing to mind a lot of the J Geils tracks with solid vocals and horn backing over a solid bass line. A nicely articulated guitar solo gives the track that extra something that sets it apart. Watch and Chain is a funky rocker with a cool Rhodes piano solo over solid slide work. Acoustic guitar work and harp by Wilkinson on Katie has a Louisiana country pop feel. These unconventional textures in music coming to my desk are unconventional. Very nice. Ain't No Fun is a slide driven blues rocker. Prominent bass work by Price stands tall and nice vocal blending makes this a prime radio track. She Goes Crazy has a cool, easy 2 step rhythm and nice horn interplay. Through Another Day is a really interesting track with a bit of a Lynyrd Skynyrd swagger. Wilkinson's mandolin work on this track, contrasted against the slide work and nicely blended vocals makes this one of my favorites on the track. Say It Isn't True has a real full sound in "Band" like fashion. One of the strongest vocal tracks on the release and again with Benoit on pedal steel, Wilkinson harp and a rocky rhythm guitar by Mule, a strong ballad. Wrapping the release is Devil's Den, a blues based, finger picked track with a western flavor with nicely crafted lap steel work by Benoit and mando by Wilkinson. Key rhythm shots by Paul and solid vocals make this a real nice track to close a subtly cool release.



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