(Psychedelta Blues / Blues-Rock) Gravelroad - Psychedelta - 2012, WAVPack (image+.cue (iso.wv)), lossless

Psychedelta, the new album by the Seattle-based trio GravelRoad, is a primal, raw, hard driving, yet accessible album that presents the blues in a new light. It is rough and tumble psychedelic rocking blues. The album pushes and pulses from one track to the other, yet it never loses a consistent rhythm that can create a trance or a boogie with the grace of a slide, the thunder of the drums, or the scream of a blistering riff. With tracks like Devil Eyes, Keep on Moving, and In the Woods, GravelRoad offers up sounds that are familiar but unique. They reach further and break new ground on tracks like Caves and Deep Blues Theme, while using Nobody Gets Me Down (original by T-Model Ford) and Furry (an ode to the late Furry Lewis) to honor those that have come before them and serve as vital influences. Psychedelta is GravelRoads follow up album to Shot The Devil (Uncle Larry Records, 2008). It is a natural progression and culmination of sonic dynamism for a band that has steadily labored on their own music while also partnering with notorious blues-rebel T-Model Ford for the past 3+ years. GravelRoad has performed on multiple national and international tours at numerous renown festivals with Mr Ford, including All Tomorrows Parties (New York, 2010), The End of the Road Festival (UK, 2009), the Vancouver Folk Music Festival (Canada, 2008) and the Deep Blues Festivals (Minnesota, 2008 - 2009), to name a few. Additionally, they have assisted the nonagenarian with his last two albums, the varied and critically acclaimed efforts, The Ladies Man (Alive Records, 2010) and Taledragger (Alive Records, 2011). The bands energy, enthusiasm, and passion are present in all of their musical and creative endeavors. With a number of exciting opportunities ahead of them, the band is looking forward to making new associations and allegiances with like-minded music professionals who appreciate their music and their drive. GravelRoad has a mission: they wish to make music that is vital and relevant in the present, while acknowledging and participating with the musical history around them, and staying ahead of the curve as they move forward. Do you hear it?

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Go figure: imagine a sound that combines the Texas grease and grit of Fandango! -era ZZ Top; the swamp hoodoo of Creedence at their trippiest; the ass-pocketful-of-whiskey-and-headful-of-something-else sway of Jon Spencer; and the wump of John Lee Hooker’s stomping left foot.
Coming from a band out of Seattle, WA.
Uh-huh.
Who knew?
Not enough folks, that’s for sure. Psychedelta is the third album from the Seattle-based trio GravelRoad and the fact that they aren’t more well-known than they are is an absolute somebody-should-pay crying shame. Members Martin Reinsel (drums), Jon Newman (guitar, bass, drums, vox), and Stefan Zillioux (guitar, vox) are not only good at making their music – raw and bluesy around the edges with a core of solid groove – they’re good at making it real. The essence of all the names dropped above (and more) is there without GravelRoad ever sounding like they’re trying to sound like anything or anybody.
The road dust and rust spots on the fenders of GravelRoad’s sound aren’t props, boys and girls; those came from honest miles. Amps squawk, squeal, snap, and bite because they’re being pushed – not because of some factory preset. Things stink in the finest of ways.
How many bands could launch into the first verse of the _first damn track _ on their album with "Well, I woke up this morning ..." and not have it sound like a cliché? GravelRoad can – "Devil Eyes" is the proof; all glasspack-and-whitewall cool burble and Howlin’ Wolf bellow. Give that devil a beer, fer chrissakes.
"More greasy nastiness!" you cry. Slather yourself with "Leave Her Alone", "Keep On Movin’" or "Deep Blues".
"Southern-fried sweetness!" you demand. Dig into the slide guitar-infused roll-and-tumble of "Furry" or the sexy piano/guitar rub of "In The Woods" featuring guests Brian Olive on the keys and Tom Meyers on some tasty hand percussion.
"Feed my head!" you beg. Crawl into "Caves" where wisps of Jiminess swirl and dance to an unhurried, miles-deep melody.
"Make me ache!" you plead. Well, that’s what the slow blues trudge of the album-closing "I Was Alone" is there for.
And when you get to the end of that, turn around and do it again. Damn straight.

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GravelRoad are the no bullshit saviors of Mississippi Delta Blues. Want Proof? When blues great T-Model Ford was looking for a band, GravelRoad fit that bill.
With 60,000 road miles under their belts as a result of nine tours in three years backing T-Model Ford, GravelRoad was itching to get back in the studio. For their third album they knew they had to do something different. From the opening track Devil Eyes to the closing Let Me Hold You, Psychedelta seeps into your ears with darker, grittier, deep blues. Aided and abetted by Detroit producer Jim Diamond (White Stripes, The Dirtbombs, The Pack A.D.) to bring the most out of the band’s “tight looseness”, Stefan Zillioux (guitar and vocals), Jon Kirby Newman (guitar, bass, vocals), and Martin Reinsel (drums) swim in a sea of blues infused with heavier rock but not overpowered by it. The blues is always present; the riffs are always there.
There are moments when Jon Spencer Blues Explosion comes to mind, but Psychedelta is a tighter approach. They aren’t attempting to blow up the blues, just explore it, push it where it can be pushed. Hard, if necessary.