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Blues Underground Network |
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McKnight
& Bogdal "Zombie
Nation"
When I first looked at the cover of
McKnight & Bogdal's "Zombie Nation", I didn't know what to think.
McKnight had steered me into the direction of their new Album, but did not
initially tell me what the music was like and having gotten requests
before to check out music which ran the full gamut of genres, I had an ill
conceived assumption that, with a name like Zombie Nation, and a picture
of what looked like a zombie child, that I may be dealing with
a Heavy Metal, Death Metal, or Punk Rock band. My ill conceived
assumption was of course just that, an assumption, which could not have
been farther from the truth and one that played firmly into the main
concept behind McKnight & Bogdal's "Zombie Nation", and that is our
over abundant nature towards preconception, and our zombie like
willingness to follow the flock despite how ill conceived the flocks
ultimate goal is or as McKnight & Bogdal call it, a "group think"
zombie-like approach", with "McCarthyism and the Salem Witch
Trials"
being examples.
The explanation concerning the album
name and the album cover was told to me by McKnight the day before I wrote
this review, really as more of a curiosity then anything else. By that
time, I was well aware that the music on "Zombie Nation" was nothing less
than an amazing blend of good old Mississippi Blues of the Delta, mixed in
with the more Electric Style of the Hill Country, and I must admit that I
turned into a little bit of a zombie myself, with not being able to put
this album away for long without having to grab it and give it another
good
listen.
McKnight & Bogdal are Elam
McKnight and Bob Bogdal, and "Zombie Nation" is their debut release as a
collaboration. Both Elam McKnight and Bob Bogdal have already stirred the
pot, quite impressively, with their own individual careers, with McKnight
having put out 3 albums since 2003, all critically acclaimed, including a
song off of his last album "Supa Good", called “Devil Minded
Woman", "which was voted by fans as the Best Blues Song in the
Musician's Atlas sponsored 7th Annual Independent Music Awards". Bob
Bogdal has 20 years of experience, already under his belt as an amazing
harmonica player and released his debut album in 2005 called "Underneath
the Kudzu", where he explored "his personal vision into the mystery of
the Delta". His next album "Shadow of a Darkened Moon", is
currently in the process of being recorded. One can easily see that both
McKnight & Bogdal tend to choose album names that are less than
conventional, but that only proves their inherent willingness to think way
outside the
box.
"Zombie Nation" consists of 10
Tracks, which as far as I could discern, are all originals. 2 of the
Tracks were credited inspirations, and were Track 9 "Brother to a
Stone" and Track 10 "Hocus Pocus". "Brother to a Stone" was inspired by
the poem "Thanatopsis" written by American poet William Cullen
Bryant. "The title is from the Greek thanatos ("death") and
-opsis ("sight"); it has often been translated as "Meditation upon
Death". "Thanatopsis" has inspired many others throughout time
including "In The Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris, Clarice
Starling reveals to Hannibal Lecter one detail of her father's last days
in hospital as an elderly neighbour reading to him the last lines of
"Thanatopsis
."
"Hocus Pocus" was inspired by Hocus
Pocus, a novel written by Kurt Vonnegut and which dealt "with themes
of class, race, crime, suicide, and globalization. The main character is
Eugene Debs Hartke, a Vietnam War veteran and college professor, who
realizes that he has killed exactly as many people as the number of women
he has had sex with. The character's name is a homage to American labor
and political leader Eugene V. Debs and anti-war senator Vance Hartke,
both from Vonnegut's home state, Indiana
".
"Brother to a Stone" which
contained great Harmonica work from Bob Bogdal and equally great Electric
Guitar from Elam McKnight, along with the Backing Vocals of Kim Morrison
was my favorite song on this album, as they pulled off this Rolling
Stonish style song to perfection. Hocus Pocus, was a great end to this
album, with its slow and raw Acoustical
manner.
The realness and the rawness of
"Zombie Nation" comes to the forefront throughout, mainly because, for
most of the album, there are only 3 musicians, Elam McKnight
(Electric/Acoustic/Resonator Guitars), Bob Bogdal (Harmonica/Resonator
Guitar), and Tom Hambridge (Drums). Michael Saint-Leon makes a very
notable appearance playing Guitar on the first Track, "Pojo's Place", a
rousing Track that introduces this album to perfection. In addition to the
musicians, we also have Kim Morrison who did all the Backing Vocals and
Vocal Arrangements. Lead Vocalists on "Zombie Nation" belonged to the
exceptional singing of Elam McKnight. Credit for the Production of "Zombie
Nation" goes to McKnight, Bogdal, and
Saint-Leon.
"Zombie Nation" contains some of the
best Mississippi Delta/Hill Country Blues that I have heard in quite a
while. In fact, in most cases, my addiction to those styles have had to be
fulfilled by listening to European Blues Artists, such as Black River
Bluesman & The Croaking Lizard, so it is nice to see that we also have
a healthy representation of these Raw styles of the Blues still being
brought to life on this side of the pond. "Zombie Nation" offers a great
mix of both styles of Blues, thanks in large part to the amazing talents
of both Bogdal and McKnight. This album is a virtual treasure trove of
Electric and Acoustic Blues peppered to perfection with Bogdal's wonderful
Harmonica playing. From the opening Track "Pojo's Place" to the closing
Track "Hocus Pocus", I guarantee you, that you will not only be super
impressed, but you will also find it hard not to hit the replay button
once the album is over. "Zombie Nation" is not the kind of Blues you hear
everyday which on the one hand is kind of sad, yet on the other hand is
like a special
treat.
"Zombie Nation", for it's shear
uniqueness and rarity, gets my Highest Rating of 5*****. One of the best
Albums of it's styles I have listened to so far this year. Really hoping
for more collaborations from these great
artists.
Review by John Vermilyea (Blues
Underground
Network)
Additional Info
Tracklist
1. Pojo's Place 4:04
2. Blues Makes Me Happy 5:03 3. Tom Cat Kitten 4:38 4. Zombiefication 4:44 5. Red Wheel Barrow 2:42 6. 19 Days 2:38 7. No Hard Feelings 5:59 8. I Hate You 3:36 9. Brother to a Stone 4:10 10. Hocus Pocus 4:40
Listen To Samples Here...
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