National Antiseptic, by James Mathus & His Knockdown Society

National Antiseptic

by James Mathus & His Knockdown Society

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1.	Call Your Dogs Off 02:53	buy track
2.	Take a Ride With Me 03:56	buy track
3.	Snake Drive 03:26	buy track
4.	Drinkin' Antiseptic 04:36	buy track
5.	Stranger 03:04	buy track
6.	Innit For The Money 03:13	buy track
7.	Shake It and Break It 02:37	buy track
8.	Rock of Ages 04:11	buy track
9.	Boogie 05:08	buy track
10.	Issaqueena St. Shuffle 04:08	buy track
11.	Spare Change 04:05	buy track
12.	Chicken Town 03:18	buy track
13.	Hambone 03:18	buy track
14.	Back To The Bottoms 02:10	buy track
15.	Nightingale 02:21	buy track

about

Former Squirrel Nut Zippers frontman James Mathus has worn many hats during his career. From the Zippers' goofy post-vaudeville hot jazz to his own solo experiments with Delta blues, he has been a tough guy to pin down, and National Antiseptic is no exception. On this 2001 release, James Mathus & His Knockdown Society churn out dirty and gritty swamp blues with an authentic fervor that similar artists like the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and White Stripes have also toyed with. Drums are pushed into the red on almost every track, eclipsed only by Mathus' crunched-out electric guitar and his loose juke joint murmurs and howls. Like other successful white blues interpreters (Koerner, Ray & Glover in the '60s and G. Love & Special Sauce in the '90s come to mind), Mathus seems to draw from a well that has eluded Jonny Lang and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. This may be because Lang, Shepherd, and their contemporaries are recalling Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan in their tributes, while Mathus & His Knockdown Society seem to have stacks of old Charlie Patton and Lightnin' Hopkins 78s in their briefcase full of blues. Whatever the reasons, these guys certainly play an authentic brand of roots music, sounding as if most of the record could have come out on Fat Possum records alongside T-Model Ford and R.L. Burnside's recent recordings. Barroom stomps like "Innit for the Money" and "Stranger" stand out as highlights, recalling not only early electric blues records, but a little stride piano and honkin' R&B saxophone as well. Those expecting a continuation of Mathus' work from any of his previous incarnations may be disappointed, but anyone who appreciates a good, loose, gritty blast through some time-honored musical styles will be warmly delighted.

-Zac Johnson

credits

released October 16, 2001

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about

Jimbo Mathus Oxford, Mississippi

shows

May 14

Avondale Brewing Company

Birmingham, AL
May 16

Barley's Taproom & Pizzeria

Knoxville, TN

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