Cottondale Swamp - Leave Me On The Suwannee

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 25 / 2 / 2017

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Review

Florida’s Sunshine Drenchy might not be the most prolific record company in the world but over a dozen or so releases they’ve yet to put a foot wrong. Always adorned by eye-catching art work the mixture of intelligent power-pop tinged folk music that has informed much of their roster has for the main part always evoked a picture that many have of the Sunshine State. The latest release on Sunshine Drenchy came as a bit of a surprise; four-piece band Cottondale Swamp are based in Weeki Wachee, Florida and are fronted by Kenny Grube, who served his apprenticeship as an Elvis impersonator for a decade or so taking in a couple of hundred shows a year. Now if your image of Elvis impersonators is the same as mine this is where you switch off, but bear with me please. Firstly in the images available Grube doesn’t look like the type of guy you’d want to fall out with and he’s bigger than me so I’m not going to be negative about him anyway, and secondly there’s really no reason to as he’s one of the most impressive vocalists I’ve heard in some time. No doubt those years of belting out Elvis hits have helped hone his talent but, on these eleven songs at least, while there are shades of The King seeping through at times, Grube gives every indication that he has a fine set of lungs that he can adapt to any musical genre. The other three members of the band are Chaz Winzenread on guitar (Grube plays rhythm), Michael Hoag on bass and Dan Eggleston who plays drums. All three provide backing vocals to Grube’s lead. Bassist Hoag wrote all the songs (one a co-write with Winzenread) except for one Winzenread sole composition, ‘Tighten Up’. Although this album has all the trademarks of a regular Sunshine Drenchy release and a number of the ‘Drenchy family are involved in some way with the album; Ed Woltil designed the graphics and it’s another stunning package, Brian Merrill co-produced the set with Eggleston and Hoag and Steve Connelly had a hand in recording some of the tracks (all familiar names if your ears have already been blessed by the sounds of any previous Sunshine Drenchy release), ‘Leave Me On The Suwanee’ is something of a departure for the label, but one that works well. We are informed that Cottondale Swamp play "original Florida Swamp Rock with authentic country sensibilities and a heart of rock ‘n’ roll," and that sums up ‘Leave Me On The Suwanee’ perfectly. But there’s more; there’s the swagger of The Stones back when they meant something, a hint of Canned Heat boogie here and there and more than a dash of Southern Rock, especially on ‘We Always Deliver’ where the band name check Lynyrd Skynyrd and show just how an astute lyricist Hoag is. The last ninety seconds of that song take on a melancholy vibe, Grube recalling listening to Skynyrd LPs, “Southern Rock runs through our veins/That and warm brandy/We’re gonna open this show/A little nervous, man , but you never know/You see it’s all rock ‘n’ roll/It’s all rock ‘n’ roll.” And those few lines say it all really; stick whatever label you choose on Cottondale Swamp, at the end of the day what they produce is pure, 100% rock ‘n’ roll, in all it’s varying forms. While the band have their own distinctive sound no two songs on this album sound the same and as the last song fades; ‘Tighten Up’, a Dick Dale inspired instrumental surf corker of a tune, it leaves the listener with one thing on their mind; when can I get to see this band live? The energy and passion that the band and producer Merrill have captured here is infectious. It leaves little doubt that the band are going to be scorching hot on stage. ‘Swamp King Troubadour’ which opens the album gives notice that Cottondale Swamp are special; Winzenread’s lead guitar almost shreds the speakers, the song paints a picture of '(I’m Not Your) Stepping Stone' played by the snottiest garage band you’ve ever heard and it leaves you breathless and completely unprepared for the following title track, Grube’s vocals at their most longing while the band produce the perfect subdued, twangy backing, until Winzenread’s lead guitar lines take your breath away once again. There’s a country feel to ‘High Horse’ and, as with all the songs on ‘Leave Me On The Suwanee’, it’s the owner of an irresistible melody; these guys can be walking that country lane as on this track or deep in the swamp as on the bluesy ‘Ole Beelzebub’ and you’ll still find yourself singing along. It’s an album that you simply can’t fail to get involved in. ‘Leave Me On The Suwanee’ is the first true rock ‘n’ roll album of 2017. As a footnote it’s worth mentioning that it’s reassuring how great musicians return into our lives; while producer Brian Merrill’s name was familiar from his other work with Sunshine Drenchy and the Ditchflowers it’s only just now that I’ve realised that Michael Hoag who wrote the bulk of this album contributed to one of my favourite albums of 2003 along with Merrill, the punky, power-pop infused ‘Last Day Of Summer’ by Barely Pink on the wonderful Not Lame label. Small world, great music.

Track Listing:-

1 Swamp King Troubadour
2 Leave Me on the Suwannee
3 Land Rich, Money Poor
4 Absinthe Minded
5 Temporary Boarder
6 Beer Drinkin' Rambler
7 High Horse
8 Feral Man
9 We Always Deliver
10 Ole' Beelzebub
11 Tighten Up

Band Links:-

https://www.cottondaleswamp.com/home
https://www.facebook.com/cottondaleswa
https://twitter.com/cottondaleswamp