HOLYWATER
HeavyDrunk (4142 Records)
Every now and then, you hear a lead singer from a little-known band who has such raw, unpretentious, and down-to-earth vocals you can’t help but find yourself drawn to the group and wanting to learn more. Such was my experience listening to HeavyDrunk bandleader/frontman Rob Robinson for the first time and poring over his Nashville-based bluesy soul group’s national debut album, Holywater, which comes out on Oct. 4.
It has a folksy charm to it that’s part crusty and part poetry, with some really great gospel-infused background vocals. Of course, any vocals need a strong supporting cast of musicians and those on this disc — performing drums, bass, keyboards, two guitars, two horns, and, of course, vocals — are really good, as are the arrangements. All but two of the songs were written or co-written by Robinson, the exceptions being a Rolling Stones cover and a Mike Mattison-Derek Trucks song.
The lyrics are intriguing, if not politically correct, starting with a song called “If I Loved You Hard Enough,” and occasionally naughty and playful (but not too much), in songs such as “Somebody’s Got to Take Them Panties Off.” Ok, so it’s suggestive. Whimsical. Well-written. And not as in-your-face with the type of crudity that fouls much of today’s modern music, more to profanity-tolerant people like me because of monotony and a lack of creativity. But this album is far from that.
What I like about HeavyDrunk is it takes some chances. It’s bold. But it also knows how far to push the envelope, when to pull back, what makes good writing, and what makes good storytelling and interesting music. It knows the art of tongue-in-cheek humor and it knows how to get to you musically without coming on too strong. Think Randy Newman, Leon Russell, or Tom Waits. And, just so you know, the group’s unusual name comes from a quote attributed to the late blues guitarist, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown.
Robinson — born in Louisiana and raised in Mississippi — is both a musician and restaurateur whose Southern influences are felt in both his music and his food. Since 2008, he’s owned a grocery store-restaurant 45 minutes south of Nashville.
First Published September 26, 2019, 1:47 a.m.
