When the Shacks are a Shakin'... Legends are Born

Everyone not living under a rock at the present moment is aware of the Decemberists. The instrumentation causes you to escape to a ship and sing a lonely sailor song.

Now... Imagine that the Decemberists (and no offense to the wonderful music of the superb Oregon band) grew balls, enjoyed several lines of cocaine and became 100% Hillbilly. Have the image in your head and the sound in your ears?

Welcome to the Legendary Shack Shakers. Specifically, I'm talking about the album Pandelirium - released last year. The world of J.D. Wilkes is a freakishly crazy and beautiful one.

Originally the band (from Tennessee) started out as a Rockabilly outfit... but then they found their way into originality. The album "Believe" is a tame start compared to its predecessor... Pandelirium. If you take the words pandemonium and delirium, you have this album. Now I listen to a lot of music and it is rare that I am THIS blown away by an album, but damn if this is not one of the best albums I have ever heard, I don't know what is!!!!!

The first song is what I would call "swamp metal" because of it's rough... but swamp like texture. The whole swamp feel carries on throughout the album and the use of harmonica and accordion is just plain sick.

Before I continue... CHECK OUT THIS ALBUM!!!!!!

Anyways, they Shack Shakers have a new album coming out in September. I have heard it. It is good, but severely underwhelming. In fact you should probably check it out before you check out the mind-blowing Pandelirium.

And while the new album might not have a sound of hillbilly's on crack, the live act is rumored to be one of the best shows you can ever see in your life. These people are crazy (search YouTube for "shack shakers dwarf" and you'll find a news report which includes JD riding a dwarf in the Netherlands or somewhere like that) and the energy is apparently through the roof.

If you can't already tell, I'm writing this little segment late at night. I am tired and I really don't know what the point I'm trying to make is... if I'm trying to make a point at all.

Long story short (ignoring my writing errors) The Shack Shakers frigging RULE! It's a sound that I cannot explain. You'll just have to check out "Pandelirium" for yourself.





Peace, Love and Keep Music Alive!
-DJ KMA (R. Sweeney)