The Dead South - Chains & Stakes

"Cried me a river but those tears ain't cheap, spitting those damn lies through them crooked, yellow teeth. I ain't trying to hate you for those sleepless nights, I should probably thank you for your time."

I've long awaited The Dead South's 4th studio album Chains & Stakes, it's finally here and is completely mind blowing. The lyric I've mentioned above is from the song "Completely, Sweetly" and it has left an ever-turning knot in my stomach that moves into my chest and rotates with each time I spin this record. It some how leaves a feeling of deja-vu or nostalgia upon my first listen. Maybe it's because it's just typical The Dead South fashion in being a complete kick-ass ear-worm of a tune or because the feeling in my stomach is because I unknowingly have a stomach ulcer.

I could probably write this whole thing about that song but of course I won't. The album starts nice and slow with the eery "Blood on the Mind" before Danny gets a chance to shine on the delightful "Yours to Keep". The album heats up with the fast and quick barn-burner "20 Mile Jump" that was a pre-release and is just too damn catchy for its own good. The first beautiful Instrumental of the album "Where Has The Time Gone" is to follow, with other instrumentals "Clemency" and "Yore" later to transition songs ever so "Completely, Sweetly". Next up is "A Little Devil" which is another pre-release that has already been riddled in to my brain and on repeat for months. "Son of Ambrose" is fun and helps to tell a a beautiful story that helps the band stick to their true Americana roots. Then you can have your heart ripped out by "A Place I Hardly Know" shortly after, "Each time I go my clothes don't fit no more", RETWEET. To follow is the Scotty vocal driven "The Cured Contessa" which may feature a metaphor for "porkin' in the morning" with "mama loves her bacon" and "come and get your morning meat", if anyone wants to confirm or deny these allegations. A more serious tone is returned with the album's first pre-release "Tiny Wooden Box" which is another tune thats had enough time to take up a permanent vacancy in my head. On a side note, the video for "Tiny Wooden Box" was shot in Drumheller, AB when the boys played a show at the Badlands Amphitheatre last August which was probably one of the greatest shows and coolest things I'll ever get to experience. "Father John" ends off the album showing a tender side to Nate's rough sounding voice with another kick-ass tune to be another favourite of the album.

Such a fitting album title as the songs can grab ahold of you and have the power to wrap you in "chains" and lyrics that can put a "stake" through your heart.

*photo from before the sun went down at the Badlands Amphitheatre, Drumheller show*