Search - Mohead :: Rural Electric

Rural Electric

Michael B. Smith | Greenville, SC USA | 01/25/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"By far one of the freshest sounds to rattle against my eardrums lately, John Mohead and his band are nothing short of innovative, original and just plain excellent. A top-flight songwriter who has already impressed the master, Bob Dylan. Mohead blends a plethora of influences to create an auditory document that holds up to repeat playings, and in a day where MP3 has enabled simplistic compilations of tracks to disc with virtually unlimited options, "Rural Electic" stands out as one off those rare albums that you will want to enjoy from beginning to end. Simply stated, there is no "filler." At times, Mohead conjures up a clear-cut vision of John Hiatt ("Here to Stay"), while at others, his style is reminiscent of Shawn Mullins ("Without a net"), and a little bit of Lowell George-there's even a Leon Russell kind of vibe ("Out of This World"). It's pretty easy to pick up on the Allman Brothers influence, which is most evident in his slide-guitar work on "Here to Stay" and on the infectious instrumental "Robert Johnson's Whiskey" and his apt cover of "Win, Lose or Draw," the only tune on the album not written by Mohead. But no matter how many influences rise to the surface, Mohead's originality overshadows any real, deep comparisons. It's acoustic guitars, Southern harmonies and poetic lyrics at their finest. Recorded at the legendary Easily Recording Studio in Memphis for Okra-Tone, the American division of the Rooster Records blues label, the album is Mohead's fourth. John's current band is made of old friends, with occasional appearances by keyboardist Johnny Neel (The Allman Brothers Band/Gov't Mule), who helps the band transform the songs into extended Southern Rock jam sessions, as evident during their appearance to the Telluride Blues & Brews Festival this past September. Whether performing with a jamming rock band behind him, or in a stripped-down acoustic setting, John Mohead is one of the brightest stars on the horizon, and "Rural Electric" is his best work yet."