By Jim Rowland
Gov’t Mule front man and longtime Allman Brothers Band guitarist Warren Haynes releases his fourth solo album this time next week, which sees him add a whole lotta soul to his blues rock roots, with the help of a new band and some familiar special guests.
For this album, Haynes is joined by the core band of John Medeski on keyboards, longtime drummer Terence Higgins (of the Dirty Dozen Brass Band) and Gov’t Mule bassist Kevin Scott. ‘Million Voices Whisper’ also features guest appearances from his Allman Brothers Band compatriot Derek Trucks, and Haynes’ Last Waltz Tour co-stars Lukas Nelson and Jamey Johnson.
As you would expect from Haynes, the album is rooted in blues-rock, but there are a fair few different flavours and moods along the way. ‘These Changes’, ‘Go Down Swinging’ and ‘From Here On Out’ all feature the addition of a horn section with give those tracks a distinctly soulful Van Morrison vibe.
The country-tinged ‘This Life As We Know It’ and ‘Day of Reckoning’ (featuring the aformentioned Lukas Nelson and Jamey Johnson) are slick, grooving, soulful and solid slices of quality blues-rock, with ‘Lies, Lies, Lies’ and ‘Terrified’ injecting some funky licks into that mix.
Elsewhere, ‘Real, Real Love’ and ‘Till The Sun Comes Shining Through’ sit back and relax more as soulful blues ballads, and the album closes with the pick of the bunch for me – the excellent nine-plus minute epic blues workout of ‘Hall of Future Saints’ which features some scintillating guitar interplay between Haynes and his guesting buddy Derek Trucks.
Slick, vibrant, accomplished and assured, ‘Million Voices Whisper’ could well be considered as Warren Haynes’ best solo outing yet.
- ‘Million Voices Whisper‘ will be released on Friday 1 November.