Andre Williams & The Sadies: Andre Williams (vocals); Travis Good (guitar, dobro, mandolin, fiddle); Dallas Good (guitar, piano, organ); Sean Dean (acoustic bass); Mike Belitsky (drums).
Additional personnel: Jim Diamond (guitar).
Producers: Andre Williams, Jim Diamond, Rob Miller.
Recorded at Ghetto Recorders, Detroit, Michigan.
At first it seems an unlikely pairing: Andre "Mr. Rhythm" Williams, proud purveyor of raunchy 1950s R&B ("Bacon Fat," "Greasy Chicken," "Jail Bait") and Canada's The Sadies, a sharp alternative-country/surf (!) band. But like the old expression goes, the proof is in the pudding. RED DIRT is a spicy dish that has generous portions of honky-tonk country (classics like "Busted," "I'm An Old, Old Man," the obscure, chilling "Psycho" are covered), Screamin' Jay Hawkins-style rhythm & blues and irreverent Jerry Reed-style funky country.
There are also small side portions of late 1960s uptown funk and southern soul, all served up by Williams' gravely, lascivious vocal delivery and the Sadies' lean, mean, stroke-of-midnight twang machine. If you can appreciate both Johnny Paycheck and Howlin' Wolf, or like your country music dark and creepy, get some RED DIRT under your fingernails.
Professional Reviews
CMJ (4/26/99, p.29) - "...[Williams] casts his voodoo spell with laidback naturalism, re-affirming his sordid mastery....The Sadies dish out an appropriate...twangy, swamp-soul..."
