Two months ago, Gov’t Mule announced a series of releases from the band’s rich archives, gearing up for a celebration of Mule’s 20th anniversary. The first of these, which was released on Record Store Day last week, was Stoned Side of the Mule Vol. 1. The vinyl-only release included seven songs from Mule’s 2009 Halloween performance, in which the band enlisted the help of guitar slinger Jackie Greene and saxophonist Steve Elson to perform a full show of The Rolling Stones’ material.
Naturally, being fans of the Stones and the Warren Haynes’ led Gov’t Mule, we had to give this record a spin. Much to our delight, this is one worthwhile archival purchase.
The record starts with the vibraphone melody of “Under My Thumb,” before Haynes and Greene share power chord riffs to drive the song into motion. Haynes’ powerful vocals kick the tune into full force, leading nicely into a soaring solo from Greene. One thing is clear: right from the get-go, this is going to be some serious rockin’ and rollin’.
The song fades into the oblivion, leaving space for the chilling piano intro of “Monkey Man.” Again, Haynes’ vocals are highlighted by Greene’s guitar fills, keeping the energy level high. Matt Abts powers the band behind the kit, while Jorgen Carlsson keeps the rhythm section tight on the bass. The group sounds tight, jamming and shouting “I’m A Monkey!” enthusiastically. It’s some good fun, that’s for sure.
Next up is “Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo (Heartbreaker),” giving the band a moment to catch their breaths. The slower song builds to a crescendo with backup vocalists augmenting Haynes’ southern soulful belting. Elson also gets to shine on the saxophone, only adding to the song’s gravitas.
“Paint It Black” comes next, delivered with a straightforward, build-and-release style. One of the guitarists is either playing a sitar or has a really cool effects pedal to create a mysterious sound, and the timbre certainly adds an element of authenticity to the song’s performance.
The band slows things down with “Angie,” with chilling vocals from Haynes, before delving into the grungy “Ventilator Blues.” The interplay between guitar riff and harmonica and saxophone is essential blues, and these guys nail it. This is a blues jam for the ages; no doubt Bobby Keys is smiling down on Elson’s work on this tune.
Finally, the album closes with the “Shattered,” with drummer Matt Abts coming to the front of the stage to give some Jagger-esque lead vocals. Keyboardist Danny Lewis took the bass, while bassist Jorgen Carlsson hopped on the drum kit. In the video, you can see Abts really working the crowd with his Jagger moves, dancing along to the classic rock and roll tune. Haynes nails the solo like none other. Watch below:
Stoned Side of the Mule Vol. 1 is definitive proof that Gov’t Mule is pure rock and roll. This is a band that can jam, that can cut right down to your soul, but here, this is a band that reaches down and delivers some powerful rock music. They took classic Rolling Stones song and made them their own, and the result is downright fun. Can’t wait to hear Volume 2!