Jimi Hendrix, meet Mississippi mud.
For their fifth studio album, The North Mississippi Allstars has shrugged off much of its signature hill-country sound. Instead, the trio has delved headfirst into its classic rock and electric blues leanings. Hernando, NMA’s first album on its own Songs of the South Records label, carries considerably less twang than its predecessors.
And while none of the group’s albums capture a fraction of the energy displayed during an NMA live performance, Hernando represents the band’s best studio set since its 2000 debut, Shake Hands with Shorty. Even with the noticeable sonic shift, Hernando is an unmistakable product of the Allstars. The brothers Dickinson and Chris Chew still know how to shake ’em on down.
Unlike so many modern rock acts, the Allstars manage to respectfully channel their influences without resorting to kitsch or dead-on revivalism. On Hernando, the three band members have made a conscious decision to play a more straightforward rock and blues combo without sacrificing the NMA identity. They have clearly dedicated themselves to a certain approach on an album bearing the name of their hometown.
Do not go into Hernando expecting a cheap concept. This is floor-thumping, down-home, sun-scorched, whiskey-soaked, amps-past-11, home-after-3-a.m., blues rock. In short, the Allstars have always known what a good time sounds like – Hernando continues the trend.
Their Junior Kimbrough-on-steroids approach to the blues meshes wonderfully with the newer, greasy acid-rock sound. Sure, most of the riffs have a vaguely (sometimes blatantly) familiar ring to them. The Allstars have been raised on R.L. Burnside just as much as ZZ Top or Hendrix. In the past few years, the NMA’s live shows have borrowed considerably more from the latter two. Hernando seems to be the logical studio manifestation of the slight change in direction.
Luther Dickinson has never sounded more perfect for his forthcoming duties as The Black Crowes’ second guitarist. “Soldier” pushes the six-minute mark courtesy of Luther’s fuzzed-out solo, though he packs enough punch to drive the song twice as long. Riding his brother Cody’s rumble-tumble beat and Chew’s smooth bass, Luther unleashes one snarling line after another.
As flattering as the Hendrix comparisons can get, Luther has a distinct personality on guitar, a sum of many diverse parts. Though he plays considerably less slide guitar these days (both in concert and on album), Luther lays out some killer bottleneck lines on “Take Yo Time, Rodney” and “Eaglebird.” As always, the price of admission rests squarely on the Allstars’ musical dexterity.
The group’s songwriting has always been at its weakest when straying from the more traditionally styled numbers (lest we forget Polaris), but Hernando’s lyrical content and composition are almost entirely enjoyable, even clever.
Chew takes up vocals on the slow blues tune “I’d Love to be a Hippy,” admitting respect and envy for our jobless, carefree brethren. “Blow Out” mimics Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis, proving almost nothing is outside the Allstars’ musical lexicon.
Unfortunately, the exception to the rule stands out as Hernando’s glaring imperfection. “Mizzip” takes blues and boogie far too deep into pop territory. With Cody taking lead vocals on the ode to the band’s home state, the NMA’s just fail to connect. Perhaps the misplaced piano solo softens things up too much.
Whether playing electric or acoustic, bluesy or twangy, the Allstars always sound best when keeping things down to the nitty-gritty. Live staple “Shake” sets the tone as the album opener – keep it simple, rock hard and move your hips.
An important part of the NMA equation continues to be the elder Dickinson, Cody and Luther’s father Jim. Producing Hernando from his Zebra Ranch Studio, The Barn, Jim gives about as faithful a re-creation of the NMA live sound as one could expect.
Anyone who has caught a NMA show in the past few years probably could have seen Hernando coming a mile away. Until now the Allstars’ studio catalogue has lacked an album with the serious power and promise offered on the group’s Grammy-nominated debut.
The best place to catch the Allstars has always been and still is in a small, sweaty rock club or in the warm air of a summer festival stage. Chew and the Dickinsons work best when given the freedom of a two-hour set block.
But for those seeking NMA studio jams, Hernando is the long-awaited counterpart to Shake Hands with Shorty. There may not be anything radical or mind-blowing to it, but Hernando rocks solid with the confidence of a well-seasoned band.
zherrm@umd.edu.
RATING: 3.5 STARS OUT OF 5
