Band of Storms

Chronique

The prolific Jimbo Mathus seems cheerfully determined to put out albums as often as the folks at Fat Possum and Big Legal Mess will let him. Arriving in 2016, Band of Storms is the third studio set Mathus has put out in just over two years, and if he's running out of ideas, you wouldn't guess it to hear the work. Running through nine songs in less than 25 minutes, Band of Storms is compact, but the collection of songs is eclectic, with Mathus pushing each tune forward with lots of energy and raw enthusiasm. Practically everything on Band of Storms is rooted in Deep Southern blues, though the influence takes on many forms. Mathus roams from the rollicking swamp rock of "Gringo Man" to the late-night acoustic lament of "Stop Your Crying," the unhinged rock & roll stomp of "Massive Confusion," and the whooping string band rave-up of "Catahoula." And on "Play with Fire," he offers a great Johnny Cash song that the Man in Black somehow didn't think of himself. While Band of Storms jumps from style to style, everything here has the feel of the Mississippi Delta. Mathus and his band play just tight enough to give these tunes their full impact, but loose enough that the performances feel natural and playful. And one of the advantages of the short running time is a lack of filler. There's no padding on Band of Storms, and Mathus connects with swagger and honesty on each track. Band of Storms plays like a spontaneous effort Mathus and his friends slapped together fast before someone stopped them, and in this case, that works to their advantage. Mathus seems to be the kind of musician who can give you a good album if you give him a few days in the studio and leave him to his devices. It's a fair guess that's just how Band of Storms came into being, and if it's rough around the edges, that texture works just fine in this context.

© Mark Deming /TiVo