It’s been just over a month since the release of delta shakedown. In that time I like many of you have been immersing myself into this album.
Released on the same day as their heroes The Rolling Stones also released the brilliant Hackney Diamonds must have been the ultimate thrill. 

A few of the IYE crew were so lucky that night to see The Heavy North do an album launch show at a packed out wax and beans, who had done an amazing job distributing the album. 

I wrote after the event as in-stores go that was as good as it gets. 

This is a band who put everything into a record, their musicianship and Jose’s production are of the highest order. The album is full of grooves, licks, the heaviest of riffs, strings, harmonies and those keys integral to the core heavy north sound throughout, underpinned by the ever impressive rhythm section. Then add lashings of psychedelic undercurrents and of course Kenny’s mesmeric soul infused vocals, and an occasional sprinkle of harmonica gold dust!

The opener the title track Delta Shakedown is damn filthy blues “wanna take you home and feel your heart on top of mine” oozes Kenny hypnotically. When I interviewed Kenny and Steve earlier in the year we touched on that cream of the stone age quote. Here there’s also hints of the doors in those sinister keys. 

Where are you now was there first single we heard from the album, and how often do we all wonder where those offbeat characters who stumble into our lives for a period of time are these days. Give a little love and round again with its distorted intro before that iconic harmonica continue to groove away and will sound amazing live! 

Next up is I see you do you see me, I hadn’t heard this one before that album launch Wax And Beans. It left a mark on me that night, inspired by a school friend who took a hallucinogenic drug to try and understand his child’s disability. The biggest complement I can give this song is that I put it on a playlist with Crosby stills and Nash almost cut my hair, The Stones gimme shelter and The Who bargain and it just stood there proudly alongside these powerhouses. Make no mistake I see you, do you see me is an absolute stone cold classic, the whole band come together with such power!

The horns come out on I couldn’t love you more which infuses those blues! 

Don’t need money is politically charged with heavy guitars and a huge chorus that builds then lures you in on loop, this one hits live! 

Play it safe is another that has rightly had so much love since the album was released, the harmonies, this is The Heavy North stripped back sounding stunning. 

Now the funk really is out of the trunk, Rosanna is compulsive, the horns and backing singers sound incredible and have you seen the full band rehearsals on Twitter- I can’t wait for this live on December first. 

The album closes with forever without you, a heart wrenching song that topics loss and heartbreak before the band crescendo to a climax. 

The Heavy North have put together an album that is up there with the years very best. This band can do anything they want the deep southern sounding blues born out of the cold industrial north.

When we ascend on Liverpool at the camp inference on December 1st it will feel like a joyous pilgrimage. A celebration and a band at the very top of their game will be there to put a show on for us!

Get your Tickets for this Friday’s headline show here.

And you can buy “Delta Shakedown” here.

And of course check out the website.

Written By Lewis Duckers

#TheHeavyNorth