Dead South - Chains and Stakes

Mr. Metal starts reviewing songs and chooses to begin with a non metal album. I am good at this.

According to Wikipedia, Dead South rose to prominence with their YouTube sensation In Hell I'll be in Good Company. I, too, became a fan of them when Al Gore's Rhythm brought them to me. I never could get a grasp on if they're a joke band or a legit bluegrass group. They have several heavy songs and covers, but one of the first songs I heard from them was about adamantly having sex with your cousin... But that's the past.

Chains and Stakes starts off the track "Blood on the Mind." The lyrics seem to be an interrogation of some sort. It begins with someone asking for an explanation. There's a lot of talk of dead bodies around a river bed and maybe a party. The chorus alludes that the drink was poisoned, and I guess the "music man" sucked. Musically, it's a quick paced banjo tune. I don't really know much about banjo picking, but its upbeat melody beguiles the lyrics. There's a fun little solo that fits, though. It's out of an old black and white jokey Halloween cartoon from Disney.

I somehow missed track two, "Yours To Keep," on my initial write up, so point and laugh. Good song, though.

"20 Mile Jump" is a quick campfire song about not listening to your wife. She asked you to get milk, but you can home drunk on bourbon, so you're not getting laid tonight. It's a minute and a half, and I'm sure it would be a riot to play with friends, ironically, while drunk. Especially that chorus!

"Where The Time Gone" is an instrumental. It's dark and somber, and it turns out I dig sad banjo music, too.

"Little Devil"...uh... Is this song about having sex with a hooker so good you find god? Or is it about drinking so much that you find god (in prison)? Rad?

"Son of Ambrose" is heartwarming. It tells the tale of a man named William Ambroseson and his life. How he was raised, went off to World War II, met a cute girl, and had five kids. But, of course, "well, life ain't always easy." But, "it's the best damn thing I ever done." It goes on until he dies, but he dies a happy man with a loving family who cherishes each other. It's nice, and I'm kinda jealous.

"Clemency" is another instrumental, much like before.

"Completely, Sweetly" sounds like "96 Quite Butter Beings" from CKY. I don't know why... And the ending is a bluegrass Judas Priest? The lyrics also confuse me as they're about someone dealing with a known liar. But they're prepared for this and actually thank them for their time? I'm confused, but I'm so intrigued! And I dig the bass voice of the singer.

"A Place I Hardly Know" is a slow but upbeat song about a drifter. He comes into town, makes "one night friends" while hiding from the snow, and powers through the hangover the next morning while moving on. I can see this song being the theme of a flawed but fan favorite good guy character in Sons of Anarchy.

"The Cured Contessa" is a great title. It's one of those joke songs, as it's about a hillbilly who needs to fry up bacon every morning to wake up his mom. Simple!

And now for something completely different. "Tiny Wooden Box" is about surviving a loved one. A friend goes off somewhere but returns in a tiny wooden box. The survivor/writer wonders why the fun times had to end. There's a painfully poignant part in the middle where the phrase "if time heals all" is repeated. It ends with the sentence, "Then why do I still feel this pain?"

"Vore" is similar to the other two instrumentals.

"Father John" is haunting. The banjo becomes a backing line as an old fashioned acoustic guitar takes the lead. It keeps a strong guiding beat the whole time. And that cello... It tells the story of a preacher who comes off a little odd/dirty. And the listener gets to know why. It was because he was a butcher on the other side of the mountains. It's a hell of a way to end the album.

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Oh boy, let's hope the review system works!

Skill: I don't know much about banjo playing, but I enjoyed this album. And I know I can't pick that fast. 2/2
Variation: Many of the songs sound different, but all of the sounds are pretty straightforward. Does bluegrass have a lot of in song variety? 1/2
Bangers: Zero. Plenty of high quality music, regardless. Maybe this'll change over time? 0/2
Replayability: The Dead South is one of those bands that work for any mood. Just put them on and veg out. 2/2
Extras: It's less than forty minutes and a good continuation from previous albums. I'd love a concept album about Father John or William. 2/2
Final Score: 7/10

I've got this penciled in as my second favorite album of the year (six weeks in...), and the rating reflects that. Chains and Stakes isn't mindblowing, but it's fun and works whenever you want to call it up. It's solid, and 7/10 isn't a bad thing.

Yeah, it works.