OFF: Gov't Mule now on tour

[Paul Mather]

On Thu, 2 Mar 2000, Ted Jackson jr. wrote:

=> What do you think of the new CD?  I haven't gotten it yet, but I've
=> heard that it's a departure from past work in that it features overdubs
=> [gasp!] and guest musicians...

If you read the liner notes, Gov't Mule's _Dose_ also featured
overdubs. ;-)

Yes, there are overdubs (or should I say "more overdubs").  Initial
reaction on EMULE was that the album is "overproduced."  I don't think
that's fair, or even accurate.  It is less *raw* and hard-edged than the
previous two studio efforts, but it's not overproduced by a long chalk.

Yes, there are guests on about half the tracks: mainly Johnny Neel on
keyboards, Hook Herrera on harmonica, and Ben Harper guests on one
track.  Perhaps the guests lead to the cries of overproduction, because
folks are not used to hearing the Mule with keyboards (though only a few
of the tracks actually have keyboards).  (Besides, what about all the
guests on LWALHFOF??)

Some of these songs have been played live a lot for a while: No Need to
Suffer; Wandering Child; Life Before Insanity; Lay Your Burden Down; Bad
Little Doggie, and some played occasionally live: Fallen Down; World
Gone Wild.  But there are some brand spanking new songs: Tastes Like
Wine; Far Away; I Think You Know What I Mean; and In My Life.

The album is a departure in that it has more shades to it (lyrically, as
well as musically).  Some of those brand new songs even have a definite
_Tales of Ordinary Madness_ feel to them!  And, "In My Life" is an
acoustic ballad!!  (But, it's my second-favourite track on the album!)

As a guitar person, you can appreciate this next statement more than I,
but I heard that one of the reasons the album has a different vibe to it
is that Warren consciously decided to use his Firebirds more than the
Les Paul, and this has contributed to its "different" sound.

I listened to _Life Before Insanity_ all the way on the 2.5 hour drive
to the Charlottesville show, and that was enough to convince me this
album is worth buying.

For newbies, this is probably Gov't Mule's most "accessible" album.
(That is not intended as a negative comment.)

BTW, they still rock on this album!  (They also still rock live!!)

Cheers,

Paul.

NP: Gov't Mule, _Life Before Insanity_

e-mail: paul at gromit.dlib.vt.edu

"Without music to decorate it, time is just a bunch of boring production
 deadlines or dates by which bills must be paid."
        --- Frank Vincent Zappa