Customer Reviews

Baby They Told Us We Would Rise Again (Dig)

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"Baby, They Told Us We Would Rise Again" by Bloodkin has this way of raising the hackles on the back of your neck the same way that hearing a lonesome hound baying at a full southern moon does. One might quibble over whether this set of tunes is rock `n roll, edgy alt country, or some gothic hybrid but there should be no disagreement that this is one of the year's best recordings.

David Barbe has, again, excelled at production, taking the multiple guitar attack, swaggering rhythm section, and vocals that evoke hope from a cloak of pain. These songs are so full of imagery about salvation and loss, the Devil and God, and love and loss that a freshman language class could have a field day dissecting the redemption and salvation motifs and comparing them with Milton.

Hat's off to Daniel Hutchens and Eric Carter, who are Bloodkin's mainstays, and to the rest of the band for releasing a recording with some backbone and grit.

So, Bloodkin. I have known the two principles of Bloodkin, Eric Carter and Danny Hutchens, since they moved to town in 1986, one year after I did. A camaraderie emerges, we do shows together, occasionally strum a song together, and rhapsodize about who is or isn't the best band of all time. (and who's the worst, but that's another discussion). Eric and Danny, then, already had decades of experience, meeting as pre-teen youngsters in rural West Virginia, finding common ground in a love of comic books (Marvel), baseball teams (The Cincinnati Reds) and rock and roll. Guitars were in the picture early, then they discover the canon of Bob Dylan, the Stones, and others. They start writing songs at a young age, gradually developing their own style, and getting their musical chops together. The siren call of the Athens music scene calls them, and there the recording begins. A homemade tape of their favorite originals makes its way into the hands of Widespread Panic, who realize the quality of the songwriting, and Panic add more than a few songs into their repertoire, one of which, "Can't Get High," makes the highest charting song of Panic's career, reaching 34 on the Billboard chart. Four of Widespread Panic's albums, and just about every one of their live shows, feature Bloodkin compositions. Bloodkin then score a deal with a small record label, and record their debut "Good Luck Charm," at the legendary Muscle Shoals recording studio. It's a fine record, full of full-blown classics. But it's the second effort, a deliberate change of pace, that grabs me. Called "Creeperweed," it's an acoustic album, recorded live in an old house on Pulaski St here in Athens, and mixed at John Keane's top-flight studio, that really turns my head. The songs are melodic, moody yet light, well-played and catchy as heck. I'm green with jealousy. We live in the same town, play in the same clubs, work in the same kitchens, and here they have made, on their sophomore effort, one of the best albums I have heard in years. I am always listening to music-lots of times it's in an evaluative mode, checking out the competition, as it were, but what I really want is to listen to music for pleasure, and there are only a few albums that make the cut, especially if I know the musicians involved-it's difficult to divorce personal relations from sonic ones. But "Creeperweed" makes the leap. So, I'm still green with jealousy, but thrilled to have another source of sonic entertainment. Our paths really start to coincide around this time (late 90's), as Barbara Cue, my band, and Bloodkin share a bass player, Crumpy Edwards, who's in the full-time Bloodkin and the part-time Barbara Cue, as they finish their third album, "Out of State Plates," a full-blown rock album recorded at David Barbe's world-class studio, Chase Park Transductions. Danny and Eric ask me to overdub some guitar parts on a song, "Lifer," and I am delighted to be involved. I do similar cameos on the next three albums, "Community Gospel Rehab," "Raving Beauties," and "Last Night Out," all the while we are touring the Southeast together (when schedules allow) as a double bill of Bloodkin/Barbara Cue, with both bands sitting in merrily with the other, and ending the night with a four or five electric guitar guitarmy or, "guitarmaggedon." Good, clean fun. In the interim, Danny releases two great solo albums. Then, in 2007 or so, Bloodkin records "Baby, They Told Us We Would Rise Again," again utilizing the production skills of David Barbe, and this record, released as they find a new, healthier way of living and doing business, finds great acclaim. David, whose work includes production work on most of the Drive By Truckers' albums, proclaims "I've worked with literally thousands of artists, and there are none that I love more than Bloodkin." "Baby" is named Album of the Year at the Flagpole Annual Music Awards, and is written up, and Bloodkin profiled, in Rolling Stone, Spin, Blender, Paste, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and many, many other top-tier publications. The story of their rebirth, and the album's depth, is irresistible, and Drive By-Truckers frontman Patterson Hood contributes a nice essay that accompanies the release, examining their history, and proclaiming the album "truly one of the best damned Rock and Roll albums that I have heard in many a year...life-affirming rock and roll in the grandest tradition." The longtime Danny/Eric partnership is augmented by drummer Aaron Phillips, Bassist David Nickle, guitarist Eric Martinez, and sometimes me

Danny and Eric and the other rotating members of Bloodkin have yet to produce a "bad" album, all have been good and treasured members of my collection. But this album is one of their best. With the triumphs of Eric in dealing with his demons, and reuniting with long time friend Danny, the two with the help of good friends and superb musicians have out done themselves yet again. If anyone is questioning on purchasing this CD or not, just click the button and enjoy. You will not be disappointed. For those of you out there not familiar with the work of Bloodkin, I suggest its time you familiarize yourself with a band that will most likely go down as one of the best of all times.

Just a nice flowing CD can't really say anything bad about it Great Job Guy's

Try any of their albums and give it a little time to set in. The words are real poetry. Go Danny! And the rest of the bands not bad, either.

Keep them coming