You can take the Gator out of Louisiana, but you can’t take Louisiana out of the Gator. Years before launching his career as an internationally-celebrated southern songwriter, Rod Gator grew up in the Louisiana backcountry, making trips to his family’s crayfish pond while absorbing the sounds, stories, and swampy swagger of his surroundings.
“My dad is an old-school Cajun guy who wanted to name me ‘Gator,'” he says. “He’s got a good sense of humor, and I think he was also a big fan of Burt Reynolds’ Gator films, which were a hit at the drive-ins in the ’70s.”
Gator’s mother didn’t approve of the suggestion, and the boy was christened “Rod Melancon” instead. It was under that name that he first made his stand as a musician, releasing four albums — including 2019’s critically-lauded Pinkville — that blended Louisiana soul with greasy country-rock, Texas blues, and electrified funk. Rod’s music didn’t just nod to the American South; it created its own sonic geography, too, channeling everything from the dark, cinematic sweep of Los Angeles (where he moved as an 18 year-old actor) to the amplified twang of Austin (his adopted hometown for nearly half a decade). With 2021’s For Louisiana, co-produced by Black Pumas co-founder Adrian Quesada, he blends that diverse sound with sharply-written songs that take a hard look at his old stomping grounds. This isn’t just a love letter to Louisiana — it’s also an examination of the state’s hard-to-love struggles with social justice, political reform, and natural disasters.
For a frontman who’s at the top of his game — writing every song, leading a multi-cultural band of road warriors, and whipping up his own musical gumbo — there’s never been a better time to level up while still embracing his roots. That’s why he’s adopting a new name. A name with humor, heritage, and a bit of a bite: Rod Gator.
These are the strongest performances of his career, laced with Muscle Shoals-worthy grooves, overdriven amplifiers, sharp storytelling, and Gator’s unique blend of spoken word delivery and southern crooning. He doesn’t just sing; he rasps, twangs, talks, and howls, dipping into his background as an actor for a larger-than-life approach that’s every bit as evocative as the songs’ arrangements.
The first album to be tracked at Quesada’s new studio, Electric Deluxe Recorders, For Louisiana also features contributions from Melancon’s longtime drummer, Adam Nurre, and Black Pumas’ keyboardist, JaRon Marshall. On an album that’s heavy with A-list collaborators, though, it’s Rod Gator who swims to the top. His source material may be heavy — with songs inspired by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the murder of George Floyd, and the long-simmering racial tensions that continue to plague Louisiana — but his writing is elevated, full of the cadence, characters, and charisma of his home state. For Louisiana is equal parts love letter to the motherland and rallying cry for cultural progress, delivered by a Bayou State export who’s still happy to let his freak flag fly.
Today Glide is excited to premiere the music video for “August 29,” hands down one of the most emotionally stirring songs on the new album. Inspired by the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and the scar it’s left on his home state of Louisiana, “August 29” is a talking-blues anthem that layers in soulful organs and thick vocal harmonies. Greasy blues guitar and a stomping beat make this feel like a call to arms as Gator sings with gritty abandon. Taking on the familiar role of storyteller, Gator recounts the defiance of waiting out Hurricane Katrina and the consequences that followed. Exploding with soaring vocal harmonies and blistering guitar solos, the song is a storm of musical intensity.
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Photo credit: David McClister
