Rockford Mules: Ma They Broke Me

Although it is a style that has never really gone out of fashion, the rise of the likes of Clutch and Queens of the Stone Age really has seen a huge increase in the number of heavy rocking blues bands trying to break through. The latest in that ever growing line are Minneapolis troupe The Rockford Mules who add a dash of Southern twang to the deep, rich bluesy riffs that makes up the bulk of their sound. What that leads to is a great mix of dirty, bar room riffs, mixed with a slightly more sensitive, bare sound that results in an interestingly paced and pleasantly eclectic album.

Unsurprisingly given the harsh, gritty vocals of Eric Tasa, it is when The Rockford Mules crank up the wailing guitars and pound out bone crunchingly heavy grooves that this album really comes alive, with "Hey John Wayne" and the full throated holler of "Blueboy" marking this out as a band with the ability to duke it out with the big boys. The more introspective side of the album shines through on the Steve Earle like "Goodnight Sunshine", which from such a masculine sounding band is a welcome culture shock, sitting, as it does, slap bang in the middle of an album more likely to break your jaw with the power and precision of the full on rocked up assault. Ma They Broke Me is a disc created by a band who really sound completely dedicated to their music and rather than being an exercise in bandwagon jumping, tracks like "Sleepin' Demon Blues", "Mudfoot Barker" and "Hammerswinger" are groove laden, yet fiery guitar explosions. The latter songs younger relation "Son Of Hammerswinger" is another beautiful guitar and vocal numbers that adds to the impact of the rough and tough outlook of this album by adding an air of maturity to proceedings. Personally I could have done without the mushy, overlong album closer "Don't Tell Them What You've Seen", which is the only time that accuracy is confused with brutality on the whole album, but one dip in quality out of twelve isn't a bad return.

Ma They Broke Me is a sharp fistful of blues rock that hits home with lasting effect right from the very first listen, but also has the intricacy and variety to keep you returning time and time again.

Track Listing
1. Mudfoot Barker
2. Drag The Swamp
3. Blueboy
4. Bloodpine
5. Got A Bullet Says You Won't
6. Goodnight Sunshine
7. Hey John Wayne
8. Sleepin' Demon Blues
9. Hammerswinger
10. Ma They Broke Me
11. Son Of Hammerswinger
12. Don't Tell Them What You've Seen

Added: March 18th 2011
Reviewer: Steven Reid
Score:
Related Link: The Rockford Mules Official Site
Hits: 2547
Language: english

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