Los Mules Rock
medicinemusic | The Highlands of Scotland | 08/31/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is my first review this year and I would like to state now that these guys have set a really high standard for the rest to follow! There are thirteen tracks on the album and not a dud amongst them. The whole thing kicks of with No Consolation a cracking country rock number.What follows then is a mixture of bluegrass, alt.country and a kind of country garage style!
This is a five piece band hailing from between Richmond and Charlottesville Virginia.All the songs are written by either Chase Heard or Andy Stepanian who are the two main vocalists.
Right , back to the album. Quite a few of the tracks are drink related Failure Of Liver and 17 Seventeen Miles Of Bourbon to name but two.But the pick of the bunch for me are the three closing tracks Wandering Valley Prelude which segues seamlessly into the fantastically dark and wondrous Head Of Steam. The whole thing comes to a close with Gold Dust Twin with a moody synthesised intro ,quirky effects sitting happily along side hard driven electric guitars ,brilliant!
The Mules are as comfortable playing bluegrass as they are full blown alt. Country rock. To compare the Mules with others is difficult because they have a unique style of their own but I could hear traces Dillards, Jayhawks, Willard Grant and even a touch of Poco in this record.I have listened to a lot of alt. Country over the last year and I would be hard pushed to find a better album than this.I think the Mules are touring here in the summer and personally I can't wait. In the meantime I'll just have to wear out the album.
THESE MULES KICK ASS!!!
Yours in all that is good about music
"
Don't Miss This One
medicinemusic | 04/03/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Once in a while you find a CD that has just what your looking for.....just the right amount of twang; harmonies that could melt frozen butter; hot pickin'; murder songs; drinking songs; great guitar sounds, interesting lyrics. I thought I found it in Frog Holler, but not quite. Jayhawks? Almost. Say Zuzu? Getting closer.My search is over. Minor Enough is a roots/Americana tour de force. Touches of southern rock, bluegrass, Band-like shuffles and waltzes---it sounds more like a greatest hits album than a debut offering. A superbly played, great guitar album. Although hard to choose favorites, 'Sunday Special' and 'Pale Colored Hue' are wonderful creations. Even the attempt at something different sounding (Gold Dust Twins) is a winner.The overall mood is somewhat dark, but not mopey. WNM's greatest attribute is how they take a 19th Century backwoodsy, almost hick-like ethos and make it sound so cool, sophisticated and totally modern."
Track Listings (13) - Disc #1