Once again this your faithful web blogger and mystery reviewer for Those Meddling Kids who have released their second album with Jack Frost at the helm to produce an altogether stellar album. It's punk, folk, celtic, country, bluegrass and blues rock all wrapped into one amazing plethora of sound that only these guys could manage. It seemed having Frost head the operation brought out a different aspect of sound from them as well. That can be said by the fact that Johnny actually plays harmonica on the song "Lead Me On" that throws in indie acoustic and punk with a sprinkling of folk that turns the song into the masterpiece. The kicker is that it was Johnny's first time ever blowing on a harmonica but it did it amazingly well. Though the highlight's of the album will be covered forthwith. But here's the track listing first.
Screamin' On The Mountain: An Exploration of Folk Punk
1. Mountain Creek Jam
2. Kilt Lifter
3. Off The Paved Road
4. Callin' The Kettle Black
5. Lead Me On
6. Podunk Stomp
7. The Loser (Grateful Dead Cover)
8. Stories From The Road
9. Tokin' and Smokin'
10. Wagon Wheel
Now the first song on the album is absolutely amazing and should seeing as it was at first just a sound check jam that progressed into something that couldn't be contained. The interesting fact of the album is that if you take Podunk Stomp, Mountain Creek Jam, and Kilt Lifter they actually segue way into one another to create one long and beautiful track of roughly over 7 minutes that spans genres and sounds. Johnny said this was done intentionally for Podunk Stomp and Kilt Lifter (that seems to borrow from Flogging Molly's Swagger a bit, but don't tell!) but Mountain Creek Jam was purely organic. It apparently just happened and the rest was just history as they say. It's an amazing album that explores the genre of what punk rock is really defined as and an amazing piece of work altogether. From the beginning at Mountain Creek Jam the album just turns from punk rock mixed with every unique genre that they could think of that really tests the listener to define them musically. I think that's the most amazing them about them. Off The Paved Road is rowdy jamming country and punk fused song that tells a story of Johnny's memories on his Grandfather's farm, fishing, and being introduced to a whiskey still at a young age. Callin' The Kettle Black is a raw bluesy tune that's about a hypocritical girlfriend and lover that channels the raw Chicago Blues sound of Muddy Waters and the loud reverb distortion of the Flat Duo Jets into another blues punk masterpiece that these guys seem to put together well. Having the extra touch of Jack Frost making the record seemed to really give this song way more feel and polish. I'd love to discuss Lead Me On but Johnny actually has written about it in his online blog on TMK's website. Here are his thoughts on the entire experience:
"We all had the jitters big time traveling up to Mountain Creek to record with a folk icon like Jack Frost. Though he made his feel right at home and welcomed us warmly offering us more food than we could handle, fresh coffee in the morning, and was just generally great to us. It also helped that his recording studio was tucked away in the woods some so we had a helluva lotta fun toolin' around in four wheelers and just letting our inner hillbillies out since it felt like we were home again. Not to mention the nights just out on Jack's back porch jamming with him to old Hank and Dylan tunes. But I remember our first day in the studio and we were just goofing around for sound check you know. It wasn't anything serious and we were just messing around mixing some of Jack's sounding type stuff with some southern punk rock groove in it. Then Jack just stopped us and went "Wait a minute boys. Wait just a minute. Play those last few licks again and just run with it. Go where you feel." So who the hell were we to argue with a guy like him? So that's exactly what we did, then before we know it, it's turning into something and it was just insane! I look over after just getting lost in the jam and Jack's sitting in the booth jamming with us with the record light on. It was just pure magic as well as the rest of the album. He really nailed what we wanted to get out of this album and I was glad I made the choice to ask him to produce. He really brought out the best in us and tested us to try different things to go further outside the box. Especially with Lead Me On, which was originally just a left of center type song but kept the overall aesthetic and feel of the record in general. But Jack thought there could be put into the song with more instrumentation to compliment it. So we were having coffee the morning after we recorded that song and he looked at me for a minute then with that distinct voice he says, "How you feel about puttin' some harmonica on that song? That's exactly what it needs. I'll give you some time to practice and then you find me when you're ready to mix it in." Then he just drops the harmonica on the table and gives me a look like he knows it'll work. Naturally he was right, more than right really. It's actually my favorite song on the entire album."Lead Me On (Credit goes to original artists Drive All Night)After hearing that song I have to admit it is immediately this reviewer's favorite song as well. But naturally the entire album is just another amazing piece by Those Meddling Kids. The final tracks to be mentioned are the inspired Grateful Dead cover that extends into the final three of one that has already been mentioned because they released it as a single before they released the album. Stories From The Road is just that and is a musical spoken word piece that talks about being lost down some country back road while looking for a secluded spot to get intimate and smoke herb with his girlfriend. Johnny didn't need to sing this one as the poetic form of the song coupled with the slow rolling guitars that channel the quiet introspective twang of Neil Young's "Old Man" and the flying free distortion Hendrix's "Little Wing." Johnny once again adds some harmonica into the mix of his whiskey soaked southern voice reminiscing of a beautiful memory that adds to the charm of the song. Tokin' and Smokin' has an electrified feel that speaks on what exactly the title suggests it has an alternative country kind of feel to it with the rollicking distortion that only TMK can provide. The album caps off with TMK turning into a southern rock band and busting out "Wagon Wheel" in a style all their own to end the album. But is the album really over? No it isn't. There's actually another hidden jam session that can be heard after the gap of silence at the end that extends into a cover of David Allen Coe's "The Ride." These guys have put together another amazing album and it really should be in your collection if you haven't picked it up already. It really seems that having Jack Frost at the helm helped them find their groove and make a good album even better. Johnny just posted another blog so I'll put it up.
"I'd like to announce that because of the release we will be going on tour to promote and celebrate what we think is our best album yet even if it is our second release. "The Screamin' From The Mountain Tour" will kick off as soon as we sign some acts to share the bill with us. First and foremost we'd like to extend an invitation to Jack Frost to share some dates with us. We'd be honored if he'd tour with us for a while. The album would've be as good as it is if he hadn't had us explore our creativity as a band. Also, we plan to put together a Hank Williams Sr. and Jr. tribute album in the future. There's also been talk among the band to put out a Sublime Tribute album as well or if we just want to record a live bootleg. We're also thinking of changing our name as well only because we believe that we've outgrown this one so to speak. We'll keep you posted! Thanks to all our fans for supporting us!"That's some big news! I hate to be a broken record but I have to admit this record is an amazing release from this band and recommend it to any one who isn't afraid of trying something a little different. TMK really bring out the polish for this record and it shows.
