After the brilliant debut album, 'Deep Fried' which was released late last year, Miraculous Mule follow it up with 'Blues Uzi' an eight track mini album (with a new album in the pipeline for next year).
What made 'Deep Fried' such a classic release was the eclectic mix of Gospel, power blues and field hollers, which showed that the band were out on their own, after all, you don't exactly get anyone else covering Blind Willie Johnson tracks!
In the interim period before album number two comes 'Blues Uzi', which again is a remarkable mix of blues and related styles which shows just how good the band are at what they do. Opening with the title track, 'Blues Uzi', an absolute killer song, here the band mix the blues with elements of hip hop to create a unique beast. With some excellent blues guitar and harmonica over a hip hop beat, this is the blues for the 21st century.
The lyrics reference the sense of being 'shot down' by the blues, after all, the blues isn't just music, it is a feeling and an attitude towards life : - “Big blues uzi up in the sky, have mercy on me I don't want to die”.
This is followed by the slower, more soulful track 'Highway Sound' which is a song about someone considering their life and changes: - “Wanna know if the people ever heard that highway sound/ Wanna know if the people ever wanna rip their roots right out the ground”.
'City of Refuge', one of my favourite tracks on the album is based on Blind Willie Johnson's 'I'm Gonna Run To The City Of Refuge', but with rewritten lyrics by Michael J. Sheehy. However, Blind Willie's original may have been an adaptation in itself, as during the time it was written, Blind Willie was regularly attending the Church Of God In Christ on Commerce Street in Marlin, and Blind Willie's song references certain aspects of their teaching. Here this is rendered into a Gospel blues powerhouse, with some excellent catchy lyrics: - “There's a judgement coming and it won't be long, The kingdom will surely come/ The river banks burst the land is cursed, the exodus has begun.” This is a far more apocalyptic vision than the Blind Willie song, and is so much the better for that.
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As well as six new tracks here on the album, there are two re-recordings, those of 'Wayfaring Stranger' and 'I Know I've Been Changed', both tracks were released originally on the vinyl only 'Miraculous Mule' 10 inch, but here they have been reworked. Whilst 'Wayfaring Stranger' may have been covered by many, Johnny Cash included, the version here is absolutely stunning and worth the price of the album on its own.
In short, this is one of this year's essential purchases. If you haven't got it, you are missing out. The mini album is available from Blues Uzi online so go on, treat yourself to an early Christmas present. You certainly won't be disappointed!
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