Bass Drum of Death – 7th Level Music

Review: Bass Drum of Death – Say I Won’t

I first saw Bass Drum of Death at the first Austin Psych Fest my wife and I attended in 2013. I had no idea at the time that the lead singer and guitarist, John Barrett, did all of the songwriting and instrumentation (on the first BDOD album) all by himself. He kept doing it all by himself for the next album, which makes his new one, Say I Won’t, even more interesting because it’s the first BDOD album written and recorded by Garrett and his touring band (Jim Barrett on bass and Ian Kirkpatrick on drums) – with The Black Keys‘ Patrick Carney doing production no less.

The result is a great album of 1970s-inspired garage / van rock suitable for road trips, surfing, backyard parties, or keeping you motivated to finish a housing project. Kirkpatrick’s snappy drums on “Find It” get the album off to a great start. “Head Change” cranks up the fuzz and swagger. Jim Barrett’s bass line will make you feel like a dangerous motherfucker. “No Soul” has John Barrett singing about how he keeps going back to a woman he knows is bad for him.

“Say Your Prayers” is a team-up with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood, and you can hear the thick bass groove he brings to the mix. “I don’t want to have the keys to your city. I just wanna take a ride,” Barrett sings on “Keys to the City,” in which he tries to convince his girl he just wants a simple night with her instead of constant partying. The swagger of “Wait” is outstanding, hitting heavy at all the right moments.

“I see the world for the takin’. Hold tight. We’ll sort it out,” Barrett sings on “Swerving,” which seems made for stomping the gas pedal and veering around traffic. “White Vine” is, believe it or not, a good power rock ballad. “No Doubt” has some southern rock twang to it. You can practically feel Memphis humidity through it. “Everybody’s Gonna Be There” reminds me of some tracks by JEFF The Brotherhood with its fun grooves, call to party, and the promise of a good time with everyone.

The title track has one of Barrett’s best guitar solos (and all-around chops) on the album, and “Too Cold to Hold” could almost be a ZZ Top song with its shuffling groove and an arena rock song with Barrett’s high-register lyrics mixing with shouts to the back of the venue.

It’s good to hear a good straight-up rock record. We don’t seem to get a lot of albums like this nowadays.

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jo Murray.]

Bass Drum of Death announces 2023 North American tour.

Having just completed shows in the UK, Ireland, Europe and North America playing select dates and as main support to The Lemonheads, Bass Drum Of Death (John and JIm Barrett, Ian Kirkpatrick) announce a US headline tour beginning February 8th, in support of their forthcoming album, Say I Won’t, released January 27th via Fat Possum Records.

The band have revealed three tracks/videos from the album so far; the Zeppelin-esque ‘Head Change’, the midtempo bruiser ‘Say Your Prayers‘ (a collaboration with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood) and the hi-octane ‘Find It‘ (the video features live footage from the band’s sold out New York show in June of this year). Today, to accompany the tour announcement, they share a blistering live version of ‘Head Change’, to give a taste of what to expect on the road.

Say I Won’t is the first Bass Drum of Death album written, demoed, and recorded with the touring band, instead of bandleader John Barrett doing everything on his own. He found a freedom in working with collaborators that wasn’t available to him before, opening different aspects of the songwriting. It was a process of live recording, layering on different parts and overdubs, and then stripping it all back to the bones of the song, keeping the raw wild heart of the music intact. “My first two records were made entirely by me alone with my gear, my laptop, and a Snowball USB mic,” says Barrett. “They were just made quickly, cheaply, as an excuse to tour. I wanted to take my time with this record. Make something good that I was proud of in itself.”

The band recorded the new record with Patrick Carney of The Black Keys at Audio Eagle Studios in Nashville and the result is a groove-oriented, 1970’s-indebted collection of rock songs, with tempos set for cruising and scuzzy guitars galore. There’s an energy and vitality to the music that feels in line with the best of the Bass Drum songs, but with an added boost that comes from new bandmates and a new perspective.

The albumfinds a reinvigorated Barrett firing at all cylinders, backed by his best band yet. It’s Bass Drum of Death at their loosest and scuzziest and most tuneful, a true rock record in all the right ways. It’s a throwback by way of moving forward, sporting a maturity and swagger that comes from a decade of playing music on the road and surviving to tell about it. More than anything, Say I Won’t is a blast to listen to, music built for driving with your stereo cranked.

2023 dates are below – tickets can be found on the band’s website.

Feb 08 New Orleans LA House of Blues Parish

Feb 09 Houston TX House of Blues Bronze Peacock

Feb 11 Austin TX Empire Garage & Control Room

Feb 12 Dallas TX House of Blues Cambridge Room

Feb 14 Tucson AZ 191 Toole

Feb 15 Phoenix AZ Rebel Lounge
Feb 16 San Diego CA Casbah

Feb 17 Las Vegas NV The Usual Place
Feb 18 Los Angeles CA Zebulon

Feb 19 Santa Ana CA Constellation Room
Feb 21 Santa Cruz CA Moe’s Alley
Feb 22 Sacramento CA Goldfield Trading Post

Feb 24 Portland OR Mississippi Studios

Feb 25 Seattle WA Tractor Tavern

Feb 26 Spokane WA Lucky You

Feb 28 Boise ID Neurolux
Mar 03 Denver CO HQ
Mar 24 Oxford MS Proud Larry’s *

Mar 25 Birmingham AL Saturn *

Mar 26 Asheville NC The Grey Eagle *

Mar 28 Raleigh NC The Pour House *

Mar 29 Washington DC Union Stage *

Mar 30 Philadelphia PA Concourse *
Mar 31 Brooklyn NY Music Hall of Williamsburg *
Apr 01 Jersey City NJ White Eagle Hall *

Apr 03 Boston MA Brighton Music Hall *

Apr 05 Buffalo NY Buffalo Iron Works *

Apr 06 Cleveland OH Beachland Ballroom *
Apr 07 Ferndale MI Magic Bag *

Apr 08 Indianapolis IN HI-Fi *

Apr 10 Grand Rapids MI The Pyramid Scheme *

Apr 14 Chicago IL Riot Fest Presents at Cobra Lounge *

Apr 15 Chicago IL Riot Fest Presents at Cobra Lounge *

Apr 16 Louisville KY Headliners Music Hall *

* w/ Dead Tooth

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jo Murray.]

Bass Drum of Death undergo a “Head Change” on their new single.

Today, Bass Drum Of Death share ‘Head Change’, the Zeppelin-esque third song taken from their forthcoming album, Say I Won’t, released January 27th via Fat Possum Records. Bandleader John Barrett says of the track,”We kind of wanted a mid-tempo psych stomper, and really didn’t change a whole lot from the demo. We added the dueling guitar bridge in the studio spur of the moment, and it ended up being one of my favorite parts on the whole record.” Watch the video HERE.

The band shared two tracks previously, the midtempo bruiser ‘Say Your Prayers‘ (a collaboration with Mike Kerr of Royal Blood) and the hi-octane ‘Find It‘ (the video features live footage from the band’s sold out New York show in June of this year). Say I Won’t, comes at a time of massive change for Barrett, having relocated from New York to his hometown of Oxford, Mississippi during the pandemic. The record is also a homecoming of a different sort, with the band rejoining the ranks of Fat Possum, also in Oxford, the label that released their first record GB City in 2011.

The point of an odyssey is to return home changed—still the same person, but deepened somehow, wiser and better, wearing your traveling scars proudly. Bass Drum of Death’s new album is the end result of a journey that took singer and bandleader John Barrett from a small town in Mississippi and sent him across the world and back home again. The music still rips, with blown-out guitars and drums, and the melodies are catchier than ever, hollered in Barrett’s trademark yelp. But the music hits differently now, more at peace with itself, propelled by a new swagger. Say I Won’t is the record of a veteran band finding its stride and leaning into it, stripping back the excess and finding the raw core of their sound.

“Moving back to Oxford was a much-needed reset,” says Barrett. “When I started, I just wanted to play in a punk band and drink beers and travel around. I didn’t really think much past that. And I got really burned out. When I moved back home, I started writing songs again, just for fun. I realized I wanted this record to have more of a hometown feel. The switch back to Fat Possum was easy. It’s much better working with people I know and love and love everything they do.”

Say I Won’t is the first Bass Drum of Death album written, demoed, and recorded with the touring band instead of Barrett doing everything on his own. He found a freedom in working with collaborators that wasn’t available to him before, opening different aspects of the songwriting. It was a process of live recording, layering on different parts and overdubs, and then stripping it all back to the bones of the song, keeping the raw wild heart of the music intact.

“My first two records were made entirely by me alone with my gear, my laptop, and a Snowball USB mic,” says Barrett. “They were just made quickly, cheaply, as an excuse to tour. I wanted to take my time with this record. Make something good that I was proud of in itself.”

The band recorded the new record with Patrick Carney of the Black Keys at Audio Eagle Studios in Nashville and the result is a groove-oriented, 1970’s-indebted collection of rock songs, with tempos set for cruising and scuzzy guitars galore. There’s an energy and vitality to the music that feels in line with the best of the Bass Drum songs, but with an added boost that comes from new bandmates and a new perspective.

The album finds a reinvigorated Barrett firing at all cylinders, backed by his best band yet. It’s Bass Drum of Death at their loosest and scuzziest and most tuneful, a true rock record in all the right ways. It’s a throwback by way of moving forward, sporting a maturity and swagger that comes from a decade of playing music on the road and surviving to tell about it. More than anything, Say I Won’t is a blast to listen to, music built for driving with your stereo cranked.

“I had to relearn that making music is fucking fun,” says Barrett, “and you should have fun doing it. If it’s miserable, what’s the point?” He laughs. “But man, when a song hits, it’s the best feeling in the world. That’s what this record is about. Getting back to that good place and staying there.”

Keep your mind open.

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[Thanks to Jo Murray.]