by Amos White
The Dead South are back with another masterful album of bluegrass framed Americana. On Chains and Stakes, we are shown the full gamut of The Dead South’s talents, from simple songs with cavernous and hollow picking that can shake you to the core, to songs that suffocate with intensity. Any fan of what The Dead South have done in the past should appreciate this album, as well as the creative paths these world class musicians are going down.
With equal parts fret board dexterity and powerful songwriting, this should appeal to music fans far outside of bluegrass. We are shown doomy, walking pace tracks and powerful shredding, like an unstoppable locomotive. Songs of blood, death, and dirt, give way to moments of love, loss, betrayal, and eventually the powerful closer of judgement and revenge. This 38 minute proof of The Dead South’s mastery flies by and doesn’t have a single dull moment.
I am a fan of music that sounds genuine, but is also well crafted. A great deal of the time, I will reach for an uplifting metal album to cure my desire for powerful music, but all week I have had Chains and Stakes on my playlist between Iron Maiden and Manowar, and it fits perfectly. All off the Maiden-esque fret hopping doesn’t hurt any. There are certainly radio ready, ear friendly tunes here, but there really are no down moments, even in the mid tempo, walking paced songs. At moments the songs will have intensity that boils up to a sort of dark busking, which may not appeal to everyone, but these are my favorite moments. It really can get the adrenaline pumping in between moments of reflection. Give this one an earful, you won’t regret it.
CHAINS & STAKES WORLD TOUR
Cleveland, OH: TempleLive Masonic, Feb 12
Pittsburgh, PA: Stage AE, Feb 13
Silver Spring, MD: The Fillmore, Feb 14
Philadelphia, PA: Franklin Music Hall, Feb 16
Norfolk, VA: The NorVa, Feb 17
Charlotte, NC: The Fillmore, Feb 18
Atlanta, GA: The Eastern, Feb 19
Austin, TX: ACL Live at the Moody Theatre, Feb 21
Dallas, TX: The Factory, Feb 22
San Antonio, TX: Aztec Theatre, Feb 23
Houston, TX: House of Blues Houston, Feb 24
Memphis, TN: Minglewood Hall, Feb 26
Fayetteville, AR: JJ’s Live, Feb 27
Tulsa, OK: Cain’s Ballroom, Feb 28
Steamboat Springs, CO: Winter WonderGrass, Mar 1
Perth, AU: Metropolis Fremantle, Mar 20
Adelaide, AU: Hindley Street Music Hall, Mar 21
Melbourne, AU: Forum Melbourne, Mar 23
Melbourne, AU: Forum Melbourne, Mar 24
Brisbane, AU: Fortitude Music Hall, Mar 26
Tyagarah, AU: Byron Bay Bluesfest, Mar 29
Sydney, AU: Enmore Theatre, Apr 2
Sydney, AU: Enmore Theatre, Apr 3
Auckland, NZ: Powerstation, Apr 5
Wellington, NZ: San Fran, Apr 6
Wellington, NZ: San Fran, Apr 7
Hamburg, DE: Freilichtbühne im Stadtpark, May 30
Berlin, DE: Zitadelle Spandau, June 1
Leipzig, DE: Clara-Zetkin Park, June 2
Prague, CZ: Žluté Lázně, June 4
Bratislava, SK: Stars Auditorium, June 5
Budapest, HU: Budapest Park, June 6
Linz, AT: Posthof Zeitkultur Am Hafen, June 8
Stuttgart, DE: Kulturbetrieb Wagenhallen, June 9
Cologne, DE: Palladium, June 11
Wiesbaden, DE: Schlachthof, June 12
Munich, DE: Zenith, June 13
Saarbrücken, DE: Garage, June 15
Tilburg, NL: 013 Poppodium013, June 16
Brussels, BE: Ancienne Belgique, June 17
Paris, FR: Salle Pleyel, June 18
Nashville, TN: The Ryman Auditorium, July 12 + 13
Mount Carroll, IL: Rhythm Amphitheatre, July 14
Bonner, MT: Kettlehouse Amphitheatre, Aug 5
Seattle, WA: Paramount Theatre, Aug 7
Portland, OR: Edgefield, Aug 8
Boise, ID: Revolution, Aug 9
Salt Lake City, UT: Deer Valley, Aug 10
Jacksonville, OR: Britt Pavilion, Aug 12
Reno, NV: Grand Sierra Resort, Aug 13
San Francisco, CA: Warfield, Aug 15
Los Angeles, CA: The Novo, Aug 16
Las Vegas, NV: Brooklyn Bowl, Aug 17
Phoenix, AZ: Van Buren, Aug 18
Del Mar, CA: The Sound, Aug 20
Regina, SK: Conexus Arts Centre, Oct 11
Saskatoon, SK: TCU Place, Oct 12
Kansas City, MO: Midland Theatre, Oct 16
Oklahoma City, OK: Criterion, Oct 17
Mexico City, MX: Fronton Mexico, Oct 19
Columbus, OH: KEMBA Live!, Oct 21
Brooklyn, NY: Brooklyn Paramount, Oct 23
New Haven, CT: College Street, Oct 24
Portland, ME: State Theatre, Oct 25
Boston, MA: House of Blues, Oct 26
Indianapolis, IN: Egyptian Room at Old National Centre, Oct 28
Winnipeg, MB: Burton Cummings Theatre, Oct 30
Edmonton, AB: Flair Airlines Hangar at Edmonton Expo Centre, Nov 1
Kelowna, BC: Prospera Place, Nov 2
Vancouver, BC: Doug Mitchell Thunderbird Sports Centre, Nov 3
Moncton, NB: Casino New Brunswick, Dec 2
Halifax, NS: Lighthouse Arts Centre, Dec 3 + 4
Montreal, QC: MTelus, Dec 6
Toronto, ON: Massey Hall, Dec 7
Grand Rapids, MI: GLC Live at 20 Munroe, Dec 10
Detroit, MI: The Fillmore, Dec 12
Chicago, IL: Riviera, Dec 13
Maplewood, MN: Myth Live, Dec 14
Madison, WI: Sylvee, Dec 15
