Gov't Mule - Sco-Mule

Damn if Gov't Mule didn't blow me away with another album of theirs.  The only difference is this album was hidden away from the public for 15 years!  How is that you ask?  Well, here's a lil bit of a break down.  Sco-Mule is the product of Warren Haynes, Allen Woody, Matt Abts, and special guest John Scofield.  It was recorded from two separate shows in Atlanta, GA back in 1999.  This is a wonderful collaboration between some amazing artists with NO VOCALS in the mix.  Even though Warren Haynes has an outstanding voice after all these years, it was nice to let the guitars do the talking for a change.  So how did this collaboration come together you ask?

According to All About Jazz, the project evolved "somewhere around 1998, Mule was starting to incorporate more and more special guests into the fold. We had done the live record with Derek Trucks, Marc Ford (Black Crowes guitarist), and (saxophonist) Randall Bramblett, (keyboardists) Chuck Leavell and Bernie Worrell (Parliament-Funkadelic)and it was becoming obvious we loved playing part of the night as a trio and part of the night with other guest musicians, and that each time that happened, the direction of our band, which was changing all the time, was being influenced in a positive way. I don’t know where the idea came about to invite John: I think it was something we had been casually talking about for quite some time, so we said “Let’s just ask him and see what he thinks?!” He was open to it, so we agreed on the material in advance and we only had one full day of rehearsal, then a couple of soundchecks, so we were kind of waiting, wanting to recording it in the hopes it would turn our great but knowing that it may not. But right from the beginning, it felt wonderful and I love the fact these recordings mark the first time we ever played together." -Haynes

Unless my ears have not caught on, there does not seem to be a flow from song to song during the album.  Tracks such as "Tom Thumb" (see below) jump off on their own tangents but manage to end the eleven minute song full circle with a guitar hook.  There are definitely some times in the album where you can hear the guys just being a jam band.  The notes are off, the drum beats are off pattern; but once a minute or so of this and it comes right back into the fold.  I imagine Haynes, Abts, Woody, and Scofield all giving each other a quick glimpse and nodding the 'let's kick it off here' motion.  So like I mentioned, this album was held off for 15 years before getting it's release day of January 27th, 2015.  It was released as compact disc format, as well as vinyl.

(Album artwork courtesy of Evil Teen Records and Gov't Mule)

Disc 1:
1. Hottentot
2. Tom Thumb
3. Doing It To Death
4. Birth Of The Mule
5. Sco-Mule
6. Kind Of Bird

"The shows on Sco-Mule were the first time John and I ever played together." -Haynes

Disc 2:
1. Pass The Peas
2. Devil Likes It Slow
3. Hottentot (Alternate Version)
4. Kind Of Bird (Alternate Version)
5. Afro Blue



"With extended, winding performances (eleven tracks are spread out over 2 CD discs), Sco-Mule could be fairly be described as an update to the middle two sides of Eat A Peach, traversing over blues, rock, soul and jazz in such a way that you forget that these are distinct music styles. As musicians who are earnestly into all of these types of music, they tear down the artificial fences put up among them and run it through in a jam band blender. Joining Haynes, bassist Allen Woody, and drummer Matt Abts with Sco was keyboardist Dr. Dan Matrazzo, expanding the trio to a quintet with three formidable soloists." -Mule.net

This has been one of my go-to albums for my morning coffee and a newspaper.  It's a mellow album you can practically play at any time of the day.  So whether you are like me an sipping on a coffee, or having some background music on for dinner, this is some over the top talent combined on one album!  I am sad that it took fifteen years to have it released, but also very happy as I continue my discography of Gov't Mule.  It was one of those bands I am thankful to be introduced to (thanks Sharon).