The Subdudes
Miracle Mule
Back Porch Records
Louisiana’s own Subdudes are the sonic equivalent of a Quentin Tarantino film festival. Neither feels satisfied clinging to any one genre for very long.
Gospel, folk, country and blues — the Subdudes touch ’em all each time they hit the studio.
But the Subdudes have never had a “Pulp Fiction” — or even a “Jackie Brown” — for that matter. Unmoved by commercial ambivalence, the band swings away on “Miracle Mule,” its first offering in eight years.
Three-fourths of the original lineup returns: lead vocalist Tommy Malone, Steve Amedee (vocals, percussion, mandolin) and John Magnie (vocals, keyboard, accordion). New faces Tim Cook (vocals, bass, percussion) and Jimmy Messa (bass, guitars) blend seamlessly into the group’s relaxed mojo, a throwaway charm that carries the album when the melodies stumble.
Yet no matter how keen its musical curiosity, the band still has only warning-track power.
“Morning Glory” gets “Mule” off to a rousing start, a hard-charging gospel number steeped in the band’s roots-rock sound that also trots out a glockenspiel for good measure. The next cut, “If Wishing Made It So” is even better, if slightly less ambitious, capturing the band’s knack for harmonizing underneath its homespun lyrics.
“Sound of Her Voice” might be the stealth hit of the bunch, but don’t let its generic blues fool you. It packs a wallop once the inspired hook rides in to save the day.
“Standing Tall,” written in the wake of September 11, finds resolve within its gospel chorus.
“Mississippi Home,” on the other hand, is nothing more than bluesy filler, and “Don’t Doubt It” drags even by ballad standards.
“The Rain,” an ode to the healing powers of a good downpour, closes out the album’s listed 12 songs. (The “hidden” title track is the 13th song, which the LP could do without).
Captured mostly live or with little tinkering, “Miracle Mule” revels in the raw sounds made by American instruments, from violins to unplugged guitars — even if the results aren’t always exemplary.
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