By Jonny Bakes
The album that I’m checking out today has possibly one of the most appropriate names to describe the world at the moment: it really is quite a ‘Strange Place’. But fortunately for us, even this isn’t stopping the album releases coming through to ÜRHQ, which means it’s time for me to delve in and get to grips with Magnolia Bayou’s ‘Strange Place’ to see just how strange it is…
Magnolia Bayou are one of those bands who have been moulded by the soil that they grew from, in this case the fertile soil of the Mississippi Delta. And if there’s one thing we know that grows well in that soil, it’s the blues,from which we can trace back pretty much every metal subgenre we have today. The best thing about the blues is that it’s practically timeless, so even though Magnolia Bayou have only been knocking about for a few years their sound is as pure and classic as it is modern and exciting.
Exciting is certainly the order of the day for ‘Strange Place’. It’s a seriously raucous, blues-fest that has an almost universal appeal. As soon as I started listening to this album, I found myself rattling off a long list of friends that I needed to tell about this to get them to listen. It will appeal to fans of Black Crowes, Black Stone Cherry and pretty much any other blues-based band you can think of, like Black Sabbath. It’s got everything you could want from a heavy blues album with a heavy focus on the guitar work and vocals. Even better is the inclusion of one of my favourite aspects of blues music – the blues harmonica.
I think it was part way through the second track that I found myself hooked on this album though, which naturally makes it one of the standout tracks – the very relatable ‘Sleepin’ In The Dog House’. It’s a classic story of a man hits the bar and has a wild time, gets home in a right state and returns home to get into trouble with the wife and ends up in the doghouse. Then to add insult to injury, the dog gets to take his place in his bed. It’s got an infectiously catchy rhythm and chorus that means it’ll be stuck in your head long after you’ve put this down and moved on to something else. And, quite frankly, it’s probably one of the best blues songs I’ve heard this year.
‘Hurricane’ is another song that stood out with its sombre tone; yet buried within that is a song that’s all about powering through tough times. The old man drinking his whiskey knows that hurricane season rolls around every june, yet there’s never been enough water to wash away New Orleans. It’s a slow roller of track, but that doesn’t mean it lacks any of the heavy power displayed in the rest of the album. In fact, this still kicks as hard as all of the other tracks – and has one hell of a guitar solo to top it off.
Overall ‘Strange Times’ is an album that will grab your attention as a well-honed raucous blues album that feels modern and upbeat whilst also feeling strangely familiar. It’s a chance to get back to the roots of rock and get yourself entwined in some relatable tales of woe. This is best enjoyed with a nice large glass of bourbon (or two… or many) for the ideal heavy blues experience. After a tough week in the day-job, it turns out that ‘Strange Place’ is exactly what I needed to lift my spirits ready for the weekend head. If you have any affinity for blues/southern rock, then this definitely an album that needs to grace your earholes.
- ‘Strange Times’ is out now. You can get your copy, and loads of other Magnolia Bayou goodies, HERE.
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