Currently on tour (check out our live review here), there’s always a place for a new Gov’t Mule live album, predominantly because every show is so utterly different from the next. Ostensibly documenting the band’s most recent album, revolution come… revolution go, from which six of the twenty-one tunes are drawn, bring on the music – live at Capitol Theatre is yet another thrilling reminder of Gov’t Mule’s live potency. Available in a variety of configurations, there is a standard 2-CD package, a deluxe, 2-CD/2-DVD set (featuring different track lists on CD and DVD), two, separate double vinyl packages (on coloured vinyl) and a stand-alone blu-ray. It’s a dizzying array of sets form which to choose, although the one that represents the best value for money currently is the deluxe 2-CD/2-DVD set (around the £17.00 from the UK Amazon Store). This review covers the 2-CD set, although the track list for the DVD is included below for reference.
Opening with the wistful travelling tune, a track that in the live environment has the quality of an invocation (and which, split into two parts, bookends the album), bring on the music kicks into high gear with a ferocious take on railroad boy, which sees the band heading down a fiery, Deep Purple path, Danny Louis raging on his keyboard and providing the perfect foil for Warren Haynes’ wild-eyed riffing. Keeping the pace taut, mule sees Jorgen Carlsson pummelling his bass, drawing out a funky groove that is irresistible even in the home environment, especially when Warren unleashes his slide in a manner reminiscent of echoes-era Floyd. From there the band slow the pace a touch for the reflective, bluesy Beautifully broken, which has a late-night vibe reminiscent of Mad Season and, if Drawn that way cruises on the back of an explosive riff, the bitter-sweet the man I want to be still serves as a soulful album highlight. The band show off their jamming skills, interpolating Funny little tragedy with message in a bottle before bringing the heavy, heavy blues with sin’s a good man’s brother. The Hendrix-esque Mr Man is a full-throttle workout , driving the first disc to its conclusion, before the epic Dark was the night, cold was the ground brings the curtain down on the first half of the set, the track providing some of the record’s most explosive jamming.
Opening the second disc, Life before insanity sets a more restrained tone after the charged excesses of the first set. A sublime thorns of life sees the pressure build, however, whilst the visceral groove of revolution come, revolution go leaves its recorded counterpart gasping for air. Every Gov’t Mule album needs a good, slow blues track and, on bring on the music, that task falls to the Dylan-esque dreams and songs, the audience remaining respectfully quiet throughout. Shades of dub side of the mule emerge on a nimble time to confess and, whilst comeback builds nicely to its climax, world boss earns its title, standing with its head held high as the unequivocal highlight of the second disc. An epic bring on the music, from which the album takes its name, offers further evidence (as if any were needed) of Warren’s remarkable prowess on the guitar – his ability to deftly switch moods evident as he shifts from soaring solos to subtle, jazz-infused verses with enviable ease. His is a talent that receives less attention than it deserves and the album as a whole serves to show just how versatile a musician he is. Bringing it all back to where it started, travelling tune (part 2) brings the album to an immensely satisfying close and the curtain falls on one of the best live Mule albums to date.
Whatever edition you opt for (and, it should be noted, the DVD boasts both Thorazine shuffle and stone cold rage), Bring on the music is a mammoth effort that will sate the appetite of even the most ardent Mule fan. It’s fantastic to have live versions of revolution… material and, with a variety of generously apportioned editions from which to choose, bring on the music is a fantastic addition to any fan’s collection. 9
DVD ONE
Intro
Traveling Tune (part 1)
Railroad Boy
Mule
Beautifully Broken
Drawn That Way
The Man I Want To Be
Funny Little Tragedy > Message In A Bottle > Funny Little Tragedy
Far Away
Sin’s A Good Man’s Brother
Mr. Man
DVD TWO
Life Before Insanity
Thorns Of Life
Trane
Revolution Come, Revolution Go
No Need To Suffer
Dreams & Songs
Time To Confess
Comeback
World Boss
Bring On The Music
Traveling Tune (part 2)
Dark Was The Night, Cold Was The Ground
Bonus DVD content:
Soulshine video
Traveling Tune video (Warren Haynes solo)
Plus rare photos by Danny Clinch of the band through the years!
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