Ever since The White Stripes hit the scene, there has been no shortage of two man (or woman) bands out there releasing cds. Hell, there’s been no shortage of coverage for them on this here web site, either. And while there are more two man bands out there than you can shake a stick at, I promise you there are none, and by none I mean ZERO, that are quite like the Black Diamond Heavies. The Black Diamond Heavies are not for the uninitiated…Nay, the Black Diamond Heavies are for people who are ready to feel sin and salvation through the low end of a B3, with a tumbler full of whiskey and Van Cambell’s growl as a drinking partner. I’d been kicking around various ways to describe BDH’s sound and then I saw it spelled out perfectly on a CMJ review of Someone Else’s Class as such, “humid tone over heated tunes.” A perfect description for a gutturally raw and fantastic band.

A Touch of Someone Else’s Class is the follow up to last year’s fantastic Every Damn Time. It features production work by Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys and a guest horn appearance by Ralph Carney. As with any proper blues album, punk-ass or not, it features several covers, including a version of Tina Turner’s “Nutbush City Limit” that may be the best version of the song I’ve ever heard. The disc even offers a surprising change up for the band in “Bidin’ My Time”, a somber ballad that seems as if it was written by Campbell near last call in a smoky piano bar five states away from his girl. While I wouldn’t want an album full of songs like “Bidin’ My Time”, this particular track has become one of my favorite songs on the album.

A Touch Of Someone Else’s Class isn’t only Essential Listening, it’s another slam dunk for both the band and Alive Records…a label that just continues to drop monster album after monster album out of their catalog. If you haven’t already, check them out. And speaking of checking them out, The Black Diamond Heavies are another band that will be playing the Deep Blues Festival next month. They are one of the bands I am most looking forward to getting to check out. I’m telling you, if you are anywhere near Minnesota or in a position to get on a plane and be near it, you need to get to Lake Elmo July 18 thru 20. It’s gonna be an event fans of this sound will be talking about for years to come.

Black Diamond Heavies - Bidin’ My Time
Black Diamond Heavies - Everything Is Everything
Black Diamond Heavies - Smoothe It Out

Black Diamond Heavies’ Official Site, Black Diamond Heavies’ myspace profile, Buy A Touch Of Someone Else’s Class

Whew! I watched this video 5 times today. I love me some Black Diamond Heavies and regret the hell outta missing their show here in Tampa.

never again.

This video is BDH performing 2 tracks and it makes me wanna wiggle my waggle and go see some live music tonight! Luckily I have the Shooter Jennings show on Friday night.

Last week we talked Jawbone. This week I would like to talk to you about a lo-fi blues outfit that goes by the name The Black Diamond Heavies. Recently I requested the Radio Moscow cd from Alive Records and they sent the BDH disc along with it. I really did not know much about the band. I knew they were touring with Scott H. Biram and he had spoken very highly of them when he played here last. Outside of that I didn’t even know what kind of music they played.

The Black Diamond Heavies are a duo from Tennessee consisting of John Wesley Myers on bass keys, Fender Rhodes organ, and vocal, and Van Cambell on drums and vocals. That’s right, no guitars. The Fender Rhodes electric piano takes the place of the guitar in this punk-ass garage blues outfit. With “Waits after a bender” vocal delivery, this disc takes one by surprise. Once you get used to it, it all works amazingly well, and after a few listens it freaking rocks. The piano in place of guitar goes from an oddity to a strength to something you wish you heard more of. The distorted growling vocals goes from shocking to tolerable to soulful. And you the listener? Well, you go from shocked, maybe even a little scared and confused, to intrigued, possibly even curious, then the fingers start snapping, you turn the radio up a little and the feet start tapping, you turn it up a little more and you start goose necking. Then, turn it up juuuuuuuuust a little more…so you can feel the low end of the keys and then you are a convert.

Scott Biram will never steer you wrong. So, check out these samples and give the band a little time to grow on you before you move on….you might be glad you did.

Black Diamond Heavies - White Bitch
Black Diamond Heavies - Poor Brown Sugar
Black Diamond Heavies - Leave it in the Road

Black Diamond Heavies official site, Black Diamond Heavies on myspace, Buy Every Damn Time

The Black Diamond Heavies played Tampa a little while back. As I type this I regret missing it. Terribly. I found this review of their performance in our local free weekly:

Call me a convert. Call me a sinner. Call me what you will. I have witnessed the devil’s music of the Black Diamond Heavies and am ready to testify. (…) Most of the set list came from the Heavies’ latest release, Every Damn Time. Notable was the performance of “Fever in My Blood,” during which Campbell and Myers launched into a vein-pumping, cymbal-crashing improvised freak out — a jam apparently so powerful that it caused one whiskey-soaked patron to stumble out of control, resulting in broken glass and a capsized speaker. - Tristan Wheelock / Tampa-Creative Loafing

Damn it man. Next time. If they are coming to your town check it out and tell me how it was.