Review- The Dead South: Chains & Stakes
Clawing from the shadowy crevices of the traditional Bluegrass underbelly, The Dead South continue the creative tear behind their fourth full-length studio offering, Chains & Stakes, an epic collection that solidifies the four-piece, forty-fingered crew as a growing Americana staple. Embarking on the United States tour by kicking off the shenanigans in Cleveland, Ohio on February 12th, the band has gained explosive notoriety behind their loyal followers - The Good Company - a title pulled from 2014’s successful inaugural album of the same name.
Photo by Lyle Bell
The Dead South have developed an undeniable gift for gritty storytelling. Illustrating the low-lying matters and unchartered nook of life’s unsavory realms, the band hinges on tales of murder, dishonesty, back-alley tussles, and the magic of the macabre. Chains & Stakes is a hell-fire blaze of six-string majesty.
“Tiny Wooden Box,” released in October, serves as the first single of the 13-track odyssey that laments the inevitable demise we all face, steeped in a dark harmony of beautiful chaos. It’s the high standard that The Dead South demand from their sound and prose, understanding that tongue-in-cheek silence has never been their niche, nor does it lend to industry success. This has all become part of the allure and essence that the band has molded - knowing that one’s identity will always speak louder than the critique.
Recorded at Panoram Studios in Mexico City and released by Six Shooter Records, look for Chains & Stakes to launch the Canadian pickers into the forefront, blazing a path that has been over 10 years in the making - Never before has the darkness burned so damn bright.
Find out more about The Dead South at the links below: