Artist: Deadman
Album: Take Up Your Mat and Walk
Bitrate: 245kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Blue Rose Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 64.92 megs
PlayTime: 0h 35min 09sec total
Rip Date: 2011-10-22
Store Date: 2011-09-28
Track List:
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01. If I Lay Down In The River 3:35
02. Till The Morning Comes 3:38
03. Don't Do This 2:56
04. This Old World's Not Gonna 3:22
Change
05. Oh Delilah! 3:14
06. I'm Not Who You Think I Am 2:33
07. Ain't No Music 2:47
08. Gilead 3:58
09. We All Need Love 3:39
10. Take Up Your Mat And Walk 5:27
Release Notes:
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DEADMAN are a new powerful force on the folk & roots rock scene of Austin,
Texas. Bandleader Steven Collins and his sextet have won a sizeable following
over the last years - among them the Blue Rose label. After years of trying to
hook up, Blue Rose have now succeeded in signing them. In July, as an appetizer,
Live At The Saxon Pub had been released to introduce them to the audience on
this side of the Atlantic. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive to
enthusiastic. Their tight sound - reminiscent of The Band - which effortlessly
brings together Southern Rock, Texas Folk, Country Rock and 70ies old school
rock'n'roll is certainly convincing to anyone flying the Americana flag. Now -
as promised - we present their new studio effort Take Up Your Mat And Walk.
Deadman are not a new outfit, they're a band with a history. Or rather, their
frontman Steven Collins has a history. He hails from Dallas, Texas and started
the first formation of Deadman twelve years ago. A quartet with his wife
Sherilyn on keys released a regional EP and in 2002 their full-length debut
Paramour. Although the album was helmed by a high-caliber producer in Daniel
Lanois-disciple Mark Howard (Chris Whitley, Vic Chesnutt, Lucinda Williams, Tito
& Tarantula), it soon disappeared from record store shelves. The follow-up Our
Eternal Ghost from 2005, also produced by Howard, was released on the renowned
One Little Indian label. It focused - not only on the cover - on the husband &
wife team Collins and marked a change of direction towards alt.country and duo
folk comparable to that of Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion. It took until
2008 until Deadman were heard of again - after Steven Collins had separated from
his wife and moved to the ever-burgeoning musical hotbed of Austin, Texas. In
the summer of 2008 Severe Mercy was released. The lyrics came fast with lots of
relationship and separation issues to deal with - the album has a sad atmosphere
with a sound & production style reminiscent of Daniel Lanois. As such, Severe
Mercy dealt with the past but was also a step forward.
Steven Patrick Collins is lead singer, songwriter and rhythm guitarist of the
newly formed six-piece band which features acoustic guitarist Kevin McCullough,
drummer Kyle Schneider, organ player Mathew Mollica and excellent lead guitarist
Jason Hildebrand. In contrast to Deadman's times in Dallas, the band is now a
tight-knit unit, schooled in uncountable concerts - Live At The Saxon Pub is a
glorious testament to this! However, Take Up Your Mat And Walk, the 5th album in
Steven Collins' Deadman discography, is a whole 'nother thing focusing on the
band's in-the-studio quality. In contrast to Severe Mercy and its artificially
imposed soundscapes, the album was arranged in very natural 70ies fashion and
recorded on analog equipment without outside production help.
Of the 10 songs - all of them Steven Collins compositions - half were recorded
for the Saxon Pub album in rougher, groovier, gospel-infused live versions.
Here, "If I Lay Down In The River", "Don't Do This To Me", "Oh Delilah", "Ain't
No Music" and the title track are presented in a relaxed, off-the-cuff folk &
country rock atmosphere. This is particularly remarkable on "Ain't No Music"
which sounds like a forgotten outtake of Springsteen's Nebraska.
The heretofore unheard songs "Till The Morning Comes" and "I'm Not Who You Think
I Am" are breezy alt.country rock numbers, firmly rooted in the 70ies but with a
certain No Depression-generation extra. "This World's Gonna Change" reminds the
listener even of Dylan's "Visions Of Johanna" - at least until Jason
Hildebrand's gruff electric guitar alludes to the sound of Uncle Tupelo.
"Gilead" is the album's most accessible song, once again comparable to The Band.
"We All Need Love" boasts a strong four-part harmony vocal and a rolling Hammond
organ while Steven Collins' vocals compete with the horn section in a manner not
unlike Van Morrison's.
The album closer of Take Up Your Mat And Walk is the title track and with more
than five minutes playing time the album's longest number, replete with
Band-feeling, a Poco-like guitar part and an irresistible melody. This is how
wonderful pure nostalgia can sound.