The South will rise again!
Now here we go, y’all! After reviews and reviews of snotty-faced Indie-kids, it’s great to have a CD like this pop up for review. Hayseed Dixie are bringing Blue Grass music kicking and yee-hawing into the hearts of contemporary folk. Just in case you are unfamiliar with this mighty genre then in layman’s terms it’s stripped down country-folk with banjo’s and fiddles instead of guitars and bass. It’s so earthy that you can taste the straw in your mouth and intake the sweat smell of manure, as you sip back moonshine and adjust your dungarees.
Now Hayseed Dixie are more commonly known for their great covers, and they are in fact famous for their many albums packed full of Blue Grass versions of songs by AC/DC, Black Sabbath and Judas Priest, to mention but a few, however those redneck chaps, from a place called Deer Lick Holler in Tennessee, have caught us on the hop by releasing an album of original songs, and this here in, ‘When Washington Comes Around’ is indeed one of the singles.
Starting off with the familiar sounds from youth, the good old banjo, then kicking in with guitar and the distinct vocals of Barley Scotch (of course!), the song is a mid-tempo jig talking about the ex-president coming around to your house, and there are some nice lyrics in, “When Washington comes around // Sometimes he don’t even knock no more // He just helps himself to the beer in the fridge // and leaves the empty bottles on the floor // When Washington comes to town // He’s says times are changing back again // He says he remembers the day when everything was okay // before it all went to Hell in a sea of sin!” it’s a nice little song that does grow on you.
I’m undecided whether the band should remain being a ‘gimmick’ band by sticking to the alternative versions of popular songs, or that they should pursue on with their original material. Hayseed Dixie have musical talent, however your music will have to be more than mildly amusing to turn a musical generation on to Blue Grass Music. Sorry, but thems the facts, folks!
However Hayseed Dixie are a live band having toured around for the past 7 years to 17 countries and played in excess of 650 shows. So for that we are truly not worthy…