Heavy Load Blues
Studio album by
Gov't Mule
ReleasedNovember 12, 2021 (2021-11-12)
Recorded2021
StudioPower Station in Waterford, Connecticut (United States)
GenreBlues[1]
Length77:50
LabelFantasy
Producer
Gov't Mule chronology
Bring On the Music: Live at the Capitol Theatre
(2019)		 Heavy Load Blues
(2021)		 Peace... Like a River
(2023)
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic84/100[2]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
PopMatters9/10[3]

Heavy Load Blues the twelfth studio album is by American band Gov't Mule. It was released on November 12, 2021 by Fantasy Records.[4][5]

Heavy Load Blues was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album.[6]

Critical reception

Heavy Load Blues was received with very positive reviews by critics. This release has an score of 84 out of 100 at Metacritic, based on the weighted average of four reviews—ranging from 60 to 90 out of 100—from mainstream publications.[2]

In a review for PopMatters, writer Michael Elliot wrote: "Gov't Mule's first strictly "all-blues" album, Heavy Load Blues, is not-so-strictly that at all, but a soul-baring journey of the blues, mainly through the lens of soul and hard rock, in all its complexity, beauty, darkness, and glory."[3]

In the album's review at AllMusic, Thom Jurek said: "Heavy Load Blues is raw, heavy, and immediate, the sound of a band unfettered while pursuing a deep blue groove that never quits."[1]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Warren Haynes, except where noted

Original album
No.TitleLength
1."Blues Before Sunrise" (Elmore James, Joe Josea)3:44
2."Hole in My Soul"4:29
3."Wake Up Dead" (Daniel Louis, Jorgen Carlsson, Matt Abts, Warren Haynes)5:54
4."Love Is a Mean Old World" (Ray Sisk, Rick Huckaby, Warren Haynes)4:55
5."Snatch It Back and Hold It" (Daniel Louis, Jorgen Carlsson, Matt Abts, Warren Haynes)7:55
6."Ain’t No Love in the Heart of the City" (Dan Walsh, Michael Price)5:36
7."(Brother Bill) Last Clean Shirt" (Charles Otis, Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller)4:12
8."Make It Rain" (Kathleen Brennan, Tom Waits)6:41
9."Heavy Load"7:18
10."Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody’s Home" (Al Jackson, Jr., Timothy Matthews)5:44
11."If Heartaches Were Nickels"7:28
12."I Asked for Water (She Gave Me Gasoline)" (Chester Arthur Burnett)9:05
13."Black Horizon"4:49
Deluxe edition bonus CD
No.TitleLength
1."Hiding Place"7:23
2."You Know My Love" (Willie Dixon)4:18
3."Street Corner Talking" (Kim Simmonds)6:26
4."Have Mercy on the Criminal" (Bernie Taupin, Elton John)6:35
5."Long Distance Call" (McKinley Morganfield)4:52
6."Feel Like Breaking Up Somebody's Home (Extended Version)" (Al Jackson, Jr., Timothy Matthews)8:36
7."Need Your Love So Bad (Live)" (William Edward John, Mertis John, Jr.)5:38
8."Good Morning Little Schoolgirl (Live)" (Sonny Boy Williamson)7:27

Personnel

Band

  • Warren Haynes – vocals, guitar, producer
  • Matt Abts – drum kit
  • Jorgen Carlsson – bass guitar
  • Danny Louis – keyboards, guitar, backing vocals

Additional musicians

  • Hook Herrera – harmonica (tracks: 1.1, 2.5, 2.8)
  • Jenny Hill – saxophone (tracks: 1.2, 2.2)
  • Buford O'Sullivan – trombone (tracks: 1.2, 2.2)
  • Pam Fleming – trumpet (tracks: 1.2, 2.2)

Technical personnel

  • John Paterno – producer, engineer, mixing
  • Stef Scamardo – executive producer
  • Evan Bakke – assistant engineer
  • Greg Calbi, Steve Fallone – mastering
  • Jorgen Carlsson – remix (tracks: 2.7–8)
  • Jay Sansone, Human Being Media – photography
  • Jeff Anders – painting

Charts

Chart performance for Heavy Load Blues
Chart (2021) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[7] 25
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[8] 72
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[9] 102
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[10] 70
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[11] 30
French Albums (SNEP)[12] 126
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[13] 16
Italian Albums (FIMI)[14] 72
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[15] 33
US Billboard 200[16] 158
US Top Blues Albums (Billboard)[17] 1
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[18] 27

References

  1. 1 2 3 Jurek, Thom. "Gov't Mule - Heavy Load Blues, Review". AllMusic. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  2. 1 2 "Heavy Load Blues by Gov't Mule Reviews". Metacritic. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  3. 1 2 Elliot, Michael (November 11, 2021). "Gov't Mule's Heavy Load Blues Wiil Lighten Your Burden". PopMatters. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  4. ↑ Ehrencloud, Martine (September 8, 2021). "Gov't Mule Announces New Album Heavy Load Blues Shares New Single". Rockandbluesmuse.com. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  5. ↑ Fu, Eddie (November 13, 2021). "Gov't Mule on the 5 Artists Who Inspired Their New Album Heavy Load Blues". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  6. ↑ O'Brien, Andrew (November 15, 2022). "2023 Grammy Award Nominees: Harry Styles, Brandi Carlile, Domi & JD Beck, Gov't Mule, More". Live for Live Music. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  9. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  10. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  11. ↑ "Gov't Mule: Heavy Load Blues" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  12. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  13. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  15. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Gov't Mule – Heavy Load Blues". Hung Medien. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Gov't Mule Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  17. ↑ "Gov't Mule Chart History (Top Blues Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Gov't Mule Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2022.
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