Heavy Drunk and Watermelon Slim – Bluesland Theme Park
Heavydrunk Records
11 tracks/34 minutes
Theme parks are full of thrill rides and this album certain has it’s share. The roller coaster of musical highs and lows by Heavydrunk and the primordial ride on Slim’s slide guitar make for two different but equally intriguing rides. William Homans III and Rob Robinson are Slim and Heavydrunk. With 14 and 11 albums respectively to their credits, and this is their fourth collaborative effort. The guttural slide and vocals of Watermelon Slim and juxtaposed from Heavydrunk’s more approachable vocals yet still raw and music. A nine-piece band back these two.
Robinson and Homans handle all the lead vocals. Slim handles the harp while he, Heavydrunk and Kurt Stowe play guitar. Ricky Burkhead is on drums, percussion and steel drums. John Allouise and Brian Allen are the bassists while the backing vocalists are Etta Britt, Tabitha Fair and Maggie Richardson, Keyboardists are Kevin McKendree and Eric Bikales. The horn section is Roy Agee ion trombone, Emmanuel Echern and Lorenzo Molina on trumpet, and Evan Cobb and Maxwell Abrams on saxophone. Last but not least is Scotty Sanders who adds his steel guitar on “Watermelon Girl.”
The title cut opens the set. It’s a wild ride built on using circus music as a driving and 199 mile an hour blues cut. It’s a carnival of amazing sounds and great opener. “New Wine” follows, a funky song with Etta Brutt in support vocally. Funky and slick, the horns and guitar make for a full and vibrant sound. Another great cut. Then it’s Slim’s time to shine on “Little Bighorn.” we gets his deep slide and voice drawling along and taking us through the empty feelings of the despair he aptly portrays vocally and on his ax.
“Church Bells (Little Zion)” is next and it takes us deep into church. It’s rousing, dirty and just well done overall. The guitar rings, the organ blazes and the vocals howl. “Watermelon Girl” has some fancy steel guitar and a Caribbean flair as Heavydrunk sings emotively. Slim’s slide reappears as he fronts the band for “Road Food and Cheap Motels.” He sings of life on rolling down the road. It’s another winner.
“You Make Me Want To” is next, a ballad with a slick snare shuffle and restrained guitar driving it. Haunting backing vocals add sweetly to the mix. Then it’s “Better Worser Too,” a dark and brooding with cool horns; it all just grabs you. Slim reprises Little Bighorn” as a sol acoustic song with him singing and playing resonator. It’s quintessential Watermelon Slim, with his deep and resonant vocals and country drawl giving it his all.
Slim leads the a capella “Australia,” a chant with handclapping that is like a sea chanty. He adds a dirty harp solo to make it more fun. The finale is a huge R&B number with big horns, organ, backing vocalists and makes you want to get up and dance.
Robinson is a Southern restauranteur from Mississippi who dabbles in music with his nine-piece band Heavydrunk. Watermelon Slim is a multiple award-winning bluesman who now resides in Mississippi. Together they have delivered a fine album of new and creative music. I think it it’s going to garner some recognition and I highly recommend it!
