HEAVYDRUNK

HOLYWATER

2019-09-09

HEAVYDRUNK

HOLYWATER

2019, 4142 Records

HeavyDrunk is a 9-piece soul-blues band that features vocals, drums, bass, keyboards, two guitars, two horns and a pair of background vocalists. Leading the way is vocalist, guitarist and main writer, Rob Robinson, who also has the distinction of owning and operating the well-known BBQ joint, Puckettt’s Grocery and Restaurant in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee. Taking its name as a riff on a statement made by the late great Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown about another musician “Man, he’s a no-playin’ so- and-so.. and a heavy drunk!” the band lays down 13 tracks including 11 originals and two covers- a tough as nails version of the Stones’ "Slave" and a pretty straight reading of Tedeschi Trucks’ "Midnight in Harlem". The disc kicks off with a Muddy Waters-style start/stop groove on the cave-man stomp "If I Loved You Hard Enough" which features tongue-in cheek ruminations on the need to grab some hair to get some much-needed attention. The title cut is a stripped- down tender homage to Robinson’s grandmother while both "Memphis" and "One Dancing Fool" strike a decidedly funky upbeat note with the full band getting in on the fun with big horn charts, greasy B3 grooves and buoyant vocals. "I Can’t Be Satisfied" is a mid-tempo soul rocker about a free-spirit who drives a food truck called the Hippie Chick from camp-ground to camp-ground spreading joy and chicken! "Keeping Up with the Kid" recalls Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes with gruff, yet soulful vocals and a heavy dose of R & B horns. Elsewhere, "High on Love" is an atmospheric ballad about that hole you can’t fill and the Barry White style "Somebody’s Got to Take Them Panties Off" is, well, about filling something. The band takes a decidedly different turn on "Pick You Up Along the Way" with the free-spirited jam about a hitch-hiking adventure featuring encounters with dancing bears and a walrus along the way. I predict many spins of this disc. WOW! Smitty

review by Mark