Watch Reigning Sound live in Birmingham!

Here's Greg Cartwright's Reigning Sound gettin' busy in Birmingham along with an interview. 

Happy Birthday David Hood!

Cheers to Swampers bass ace David Hood! Here's an interview with Jake Feinberg and the Muscle Shoals documentary.

The Dexateens roar back with whumpin' live album

Elliott McPherson and his Dexateens crew fortunately had David Barbe record their Heathens Homecoming show in Athens, GA back in February. 

Here's the scoop...
Hailing from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, The Dexateens have built an institution from their fiery brand of punk and roll. Since 1998, as one line-up or another, they’ve left jaws agape and arms akimbo as if some kind of inadvertent hypnotism has occurred. Their first two releases, a self-titled southern punk masterpiece lovingly known as “Headphones” and their sophomore effort Red Dust Rising both came out on the legendary Estrus Records label.

Since then the band has amassed an impressive discography penned largely by bandleader Elliott McPherson. 2009’s Singlewide marks the last time songwriter and original lead guitarist John Smith worked with the band in studio. The acoustic balladry of that release along with changes to the lineup opened up fresh studio approaches while live shows remained unhinged.

The sum of their parts, a bottling of rock’s essence, they keep it locked and loaded – A Voltron-esque band of brothers with several powerful conjoining pieces that can form at any time, in any variation, to wreak audible havoc on anyone and everyone within striking distance.

This past Febuary 13th the band kicked off the Drive-By Truckers’ annual Heathens Homecoming at the legendary 40 Watt Club in Athens, Georgia. The line-up was almost back to basics with founding songwriters Smith and McPherson on guitars and vocals, original bassist Matt Patton (also with DBT) and the great Brian Gosdin (2007-present) on the trap kit.  This is one of the few times McPherson and Smith have played together in the past 10 years. The results are impeccable and it waves the spear for how deep the roots of “bandhood” can be – an unrehearsed recall of Smith-era highlights and less expected audibles.

Thankfully, Athens producer David Barbe (Sugar, Drive-By Truckers), had his mobile rig humming to catch this show in all its glory. The tracks were then brilliantly mixed and mastered by Barbe at his Chase Park Transduction studio. Barbe previously co-produced The Dexateens' Hardwire Healing along with DBT’s Patterson Hood.

The Dexateens' Live from Athens, GA - Heathens Homecoming 2020 is a Cornelius Chapel Records release, and it will be a Bandcamp only release made available on July 3rd. A phenomenal representation of barebones rock’n’roll. Pre-order it right here.

Shirley Collins has a new video for "Wondrous Love"

Says Shirley: "I first heard the hymn at a Sacred Harp Convention in Alabama. Alan Lomax and I recorded it on our field recording trip in 1959."

R.I.P. producer/engineer Rick Hall, 1932-2018

The man behind the Muscle Shoals sound and FAME Records, Rick Hall passed away today at his Alabama home.