If you’re reading this right now you’ve been indoctrinated into the mysteries of the mythical Mississippi night. You’ve felt the sweet taste from a fruit jar. You’ve seen the moonlight through the trees, reflecting in the swamplands, bathing the surreal shapes of the kudzu cloaked hills.
Mississippi Stomp released their second full length LP with a vast mix of heterogeneity influenced from their native grounds of sound. Co-Produced by solo artist and founding member of the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Jimbo Mathus said “Shine is a southern masterpiece.”
This bevy of brothers and one sister are the pro-generators of their own genre` of stomp with roots-infused originals flooded with stories of mythical truths. The soul of the songs are expressed by Gid & Sunny; one a descendant from the piney woods of the Free State of Jones; the other from the church and juke joint infested hills of North Mississippi.
The overall sonic texture of the eight tracks recorded live in five hours led bassist Matt Patton of Drive-By Truckers to comment that the record was “lush southern rock.” Matt Patton is also the owner of Dial Back Sound, housed in Water Valley, Mississippi, where the album was recorded.
“Train Song,” the initial track joins together the jangling and driving guitars of Bryan McCutchen and Clayton Albrecht, to get things rolling through an Americana landscape. The final and title track “Shine,” blends a plaintive guitar with the wistful organ of Larry Eades, as lead singer Gid Stuckey delivers a raw celebration for anyone who has ever chased the dream.
“Wrong Side,” is an emotional parable of a life of injustice while “Hell Pine Holler” offers a rugged swamp tour through muddy waters and shadows in a futile search for lost love.
Out of the depths, “Break that Chain” is an arousing foot stomping call for the reach of something more. Sunny Stuckey takes over the vocals on a hypnotic psychedelic rocker, about the fun-loving trashy “Zodie” driven by the acoustic guitar of Robert King and held down by the rhythm section of Charlie Smart on bass and Ken Burroughs on the drums.
Gid and Sunny trade time behind the microphone for a soulful exploration of things that unite us on “One Song,” and finally, "OtherSide” finds the band on a dusty road looking back at it’s influences affirming the decision Mississippi Stomp made to travel new musical paths.
Named the 2016 Best Rock Band with their debut album “Chickasaw Lodge” and 2017 Best Roots Music with “Shine” by the Mississippi Music Foundation, has taken their brand of stomp to the road sharing the bill with the likes of Ricky Skaggs, Jimbo Mathus, Kansas and Cedric Burnside Project to name a few.
Mississippi Stomp, “A Southern Wall of Sound” ~Nathan Crouch of Sky City
