Gov't Mule -- By A Thread
Evil Teen Records
www.mule.net

Rating: B

Gov't Mule is one of the out and out coolest damn bands touring the land today.  They are by far the best jam band in existence.  Led by Allman Brother Warren Haynes, The Mighty Mule has done it once again.  By A Thread is yet another classic blues/rock gem, song-by-song another inspiring collection of great songs.

The album begins with "Broke Down on the Brazos" and if it sounds just a little bit like ZZ Top that is because the Reverend Billy Gibbons joins Haynes on guitar.  The rest of the album carries on in the same tradition as all Mule music.  Shit, there is nothing too far outside of the box here and I doubt there really should be, as the band seems to be damn good at doing
what they do.  Plus, if they are stoned as much as rumor has it then we can expect long live jams of these new songs as the band tours the nation. After all, it is not every band that offers their fans rolling papers with the band's name on them.

"Monday Mourning Meltdown" features great guitar playing while "Gordon James" gets more soulful every time one hears Warren sing it.  The best of the bunch may be the far out "Scenes From A Troubled Mind" and "Inside Outside Woman Blues # 3." 

Hell, I can't say anymore that has not been lauded over already.  Go over to www.mule.net  and get some papers and this CD. Something tells me for those who partake that this will be a winning combination.  For those of you, like myself, who no longer puff the magic dragon, just crank up the CD and you will get a musical contact high -- guaranteed. 

By Jeb Wright