The songs Fire Away, Lord Knows, and Healer all come together in this short documentary about the making of the forthcoming Steepwater Band record Grace and Melody produced by Marc Ford.
Classic influences but no nostalgia...these guys are fresher than most of what gets passed off as 'new' these days. I've always been able to hear the goodness at the heart of The Steepwater Band. All the nuance of the recording, performance and songwriting that make it easy can be found on Grace and Melody. They're in their finest form yet. ~ Richard Milne | WXRT Radio, Chicago
Every record is better than the former, and they always maintain an evolution within the American roots rock. For the moment we can only wonder when they will reach the top of their abilities. Marah and Drive-By Truckers have been dethroned. Everybody stand up to salute their new majesties: THE STEEPWATER BAND. ~ Santino | Solo-Rock.com
Everything about GRACE AND MELODY has the feel of natural born rockers determined to get everyone's rocks off. Producer Marc Ford does clean, endlessly effective work here, bringing his years of experience with The Black Crowes and others, allowing individual elements to shine – a groin throbbing bass run, the blue water purr of electric slide. This is the abounding whomp of a band that's always been very good, teetering on the edge of greatness. And by album's end I'd be surprised if you weren't rooting for them to topple all the way into full blown glory. ~ Dennis Cook | Jambase.com
Crackling with gritty energy and featuring strikingly direct lyrics, Grace And Melody demonstrates that Steepwater Band is a group with a considerable amount of depth and nuance…most notably the intriguing twin-guitar romp through the 13+ minute, "Waiting To Be Offended," which is vibrant yet clutter-free. Grace And Melody is certainly worth diving into. ~ Rob Turner | Hittin' The Note Magazine
Grace And Melody hints of previous Steepwater Band records, but continues the band's evolution. The songwriting is growing in directions that keep the band attached to the history of rock and roll while they actively expand it. Massey, along with bassist Tod Bowers and drummer Joe Winters, continue to impress as one of rock's shining lights. ~ John Heidt | Vintage Guitar Magazine
Grace And Melody continues the evolution; the record has an updated '70s vibe and the whole album works if you ever wondered what the Faces might sound like in the 21st Century.
~ Mike O'Cull | Illinois Entertainer
Jeff Massey’s dirty sounding, masterful slide work reminded me of Exile On Main Street era Stones. The band's sound is firmly entrenched in the roots of the blues; however they also up the ante by throwing tinges of psychedelia and country into the mix and the sound is absolutely massive and in your face at all times. ~ Ryan Sparks | Classic Rock Revisited
If Janis Joplin and Ronnie Van Zant were booking a band to play on a serene summer night and the Allman Brothers were unavailable, it would without question be The Steepwater Band. ~ Mack Rawden | Cinema Blend Music
Not only do these longhairs know their Johnny Winter and their Johnnie Walker, they sure as shootin' dish it out in a nuclear hoedown of dirty fuzztone lead and slide guitar riffs. ~ Creem Magazine
In a time when old-fashioned rock and roll is coming back in style, The Steepwater Band is a cut above the rest of the field. ~ Pop Culture Press
This band has traveled a long and winding musical road. From the Delta to the electrified blues of Chicago, across the Atlantic to the blues-inspired rock of the Stones, Zeppelin and Free before making their way back through the Texas roadhouses. ~ Bluesbunny.com, United Kingdom
The Steepwater Band’s brand new LP Grace and Melody represents the evolution of a genuine, hard-working rock n’ roll band unwilling to compromise the integrity of their musical values. The album is vital and optimistic; a fresh sound borne of classic influences but zero nostalgia.
The Steepwater Band formed in Chicago in 1998 ignited by a passion for the city's electric blues. The power trio who quickly progressed from covering Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and John Lee Hooker to writing compelling originals has crafted a rock n' roll sound best described as heavy Americana. For a decade the band has gigged relentlessly, performing nearly 125 shows per year and bringing their songbook of gritty Delta blues, soulful boogie, and backwoods psychedelia to audiences across the States and abroad.
The creative energy of the band's live shows has earned them a loyal fan base and critical acclaim. Jeff Massey performs with a passion that can belie his virtuosity. His masterful guitar work, often featuring slide, has won the respect of many modern guitar luminaries. The rhythm section's rock-solid interplay provides a foundation which liberates Massey's lead work: Joe Winters swings beats with total command of his ferocity while Tod Bowers rolls out bass lines with the loose-boogie sensibility of Ronnie Lane and a knack for carrying the melody. Years of musical collaboration allow the band to play together tautly without sacrificing spontaneity.
The Steepwater Band has released three full-length records, their last being Revelation Sunday (Diamond Day 2006), and each album has garnered substantial radio airplay across the Midwest, including on Chicago's influential WXRT. The trio regularly headlines such prestigious Chicago venues as the Metro and the Double Door while expanding their touring base throughout the Midwest and beyond. They have shared the stage with acts as diverse as Buddy Guy, Wilco, Gov't Mule, Cheap Trick, The Redwalls, Taj Mahal, Bon Jovi, Rose Hill Drive, Bad Company, King’s X, Drive-By Truckers, and Heart. In 2005, the band made its European debut, performing at the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain, and returned the following two years for club-and-festival tours to heavily attended shows.
It was a serendipitous meeting at a Black Crowes concert that brought friends Winters and Bowers together with Massey. A decade later in May ‘08, the three found themselves in California recording Grace and Melody, their fourth full-length studio album, with Grammy winnerMarc Ford as producer-the musician widely regarded as The Black Crowes' finest guitarist and integral to their prime years. The Steepwater Band met Ford while sharing a bill at a festival in Spain in the summer of '07. They invited Ford to sit in on Neil Young's "Cortez the Killer," a song banned in Spain for years. A friendship was forged and Ford expressed interest in collaborating with the band shortly after producing the critically acclaimed debut album from Ryan Bingham, Mescalito (Lost Highway 2007).
Grace and Melody was recorded in just nine days at the organic and inspiring Compound Studios in Long Beach, California. With Ford's direction, the band dug deeper into the swamp and grit of their past records while exploring new influences that give the new record a fresh sound. From the top-down catchiness of "Lord Knows," to the extended guitar jam of "Waiting To Be Offended," to the hypnotic bounce of "Healer" and Lennonesque strum of "One Way Ride," this album runs the gamut of rock n’ roll roots with progressive style. Songwriting has long been a strength for The Steepwater Band, but it has never been more palpable than on Grace and Melody.
Thanks for your Support!! & ThankS for the Friendship! HOPE YOU ENJOY "DOGGY STYLE"!! The Dogs from Lansing/Detroit Rock City celebrate their 40th Anniversary w/t 2 Disks, 25 tribute bands, 3 unreleased historic tracks from The Dogs from 1971 & 1976, 28 page booklet, liner notes by John Sinclair (MC5) and cover artwork by Rockin' Jellybean!!
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