Black Diamond Heavies are a filthy raw blues duo from Tennessee whose sophomore album A Touch Of Someone Else’s Class is full of Southern fried and burned-in drums-n-organ blues stomps. It’s a sweaty, trashy, and whiskey-soaked ride but amazingly well-played despite the devilishly red-lined production that sends the album into a hot hot overdriven heat. Owing as much to roof-raising gospel as they do to punk, Black Diamond Heavies have stripped it all down to the bare essentials.
John Wesley Meyers provides vocals and pounds the keys while Van Campbell plays drums like they’re exploding. Myers is (fittingly) the son of a Baptist preacher and Campbell comes from a family of bourbon distillers. Their pedigree couldn’t be more perfect.
There are stomping songs like “Nutbush City Limit” and blues ballads like “Bidin My Time” but Black Diamond Heavies pull both stylistic affects off without a hitch. The drums burst right out of the speakers as if my ears are 6 inches from a 500 watt sound system. And through all of the feverishly fuzzed-out bliss the soulful nature of these tunes can’t be denied. If Catfish Haven dishes out neo-soul the these guys have sold their souls (or soul) to the devil and recorded this album deep in the fiery depths. Black Diamond Heavies are on tour now and will actually be playing Chicago as the opening act for Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. Hell yeah. - Can You See The Sunset
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