Gov’t Mule SHOUT! Album Review

Album Review by Danny Coleman

Shout!, the new effort from old stalwarts Gov’t Mule is a truly unique collection of 22 songs (sort of), done by the Mule and a host of guest vocalists.

I say “sort of” because although this is a two-disc collection, it’s the same 11 songs done twice—once by the boys in Gov’t Mule and once with different vocalists. Mind you, the list of vocalists reads like a veritable Who’s Who of music—an amazing collection of rockers, both past and present: Elvis Costello, Ben Harper, Dr. John, along with Toots Hibbert, Glenn Hughes, Jim James and Miles Kennedy all grace the second disc. Throw in Ty Taylor, Dave Matthews, Steve Winwood and the ever amazing Grace Potter, and you’ve got an astounding array of vocal talent that make a good CD a great CD.

I find Shout! to be a tale of two discs. When first played, the Mule tracks (disc 1) seem somewhat dark with vocal and effect additives, that at times feel oddly placed. Being one to never judge a disc by its first go-round, I revisited it a few days later. I’m very glad I did, as the material didn’t seem as disjointed as the first listen. I found myself enjoying a cut such as “World Boss,” no matter whose vocal track it was; although the appearance of guest vocalist Ben Harper definitely lends a nice touch to this funky blues cut.

Glenn Hughes wins the battle of “No Reward,” as this tune’s vocal styling grabs you from the first note (with old-time crooning in the Delta blues tradition) and never lets go. Ditto Grace Potter in her smokin’ rendition of “Whisper in Your Soul.” Once again the Mule’s original comes across somewhat dark, with a tribal drumbeat and psychedelic overtones, which give way to very nice guitar work and a powerful vocal track; when Potter gets ahold of it, it becomes a work of art. Potter’s gutsy, yet dynamic, performance transforms the track from “yes” to “oh YEAH!”

“Stoop So Low” is one of this reviewer’s three favorite tracks. When listening to the first offering from the Mule, knowing that there was a version with Dr. John coming later, I couldn’t help but wonder if the men in the Mule didn’t pen this particular piece with Dr. John in mind. Both versions cook with a slow burn as they gain momentum and funk their way to the end. The Dr. John version has an interesting twist as the song nears its completion; easily a fan favorite if the good Dr. ever joins them onstage.

The band win big with “Forsaken Savior,” even before they hand it off to Dave Matthews. This is a tune where I preferred the group’s version to that of Matthews’ rendition. Matthews puts forth a great effort, but the soulful vocal performance of Warren Haynes fits this particular offering like no other can.

Elvis Costello appears on what’s billed as a “snarling punk rock anthem” on the band website, “Funny Little Tragedy.” Punk in an early Costello vein, yes; snarling? not really. The song does drive and is on the edgy side for a Haynes composition, but then again he has the ability to adapt to many different genres, while still maintaining his signature style. This really is a great microcosm of what Shout! is all about. The Mule version is a neat little straight ahead rocker with punk overtones, accents on the upstroke, the dissonant chords and a rock-n-roll vocal track. Once Mr. Costello gets ahold of it, it seems to transform to vintage Costello—kind of like “Red Shoes” meets “Watching the Detectives.”

“Scared To Live” is a reggae-infused piece that moves along nicely, no matter who’s singing. Very well done and a nice mashup of blues guitar among the island rhythms.

Overall, Shout! grew on me, and is definitely worth the investment. Inviting guest vocalists is nothing short of brilliant on Haynes’ part and their contributions make this a rare recording venture indeed. I am anxious to see how the band performs this disc live and who will show up when they do. I am sure they’ll have multiple surprises up their collective sleeves.

So I guess the only thing left to decide is whether or not it’s 11 songs, or 22—I’ll let you be the judge.

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DANNY COLMAN |ROCK ON RADIO STATIONS ~ HAMILTON RADIO | GASHOUSE RADIO | ASBURY MUSIC