Randall Bramblett is a lifer. For decades, he’s explored the deep corners and outer orbits of American roots music, creating a southern sound that’s every bit as eclectic as its maker. That sound reaches a new milestone with Paradise Breakdown (due out via Strolling Bones Records on September 13th), the thirteenth record from a musician hailed as “one of the South’s most lyrical and literate songwriters” by Rolling Stone. The album finds Bramblett taking stock of past and present, embracing all the contradictory elements — love and loss; joy and disappointment; nostalgia and mortality — of a career dedicated to creation.
At its core, though, this is earthbound music — the kind of electrified soul-funk and dive-bar R&B that feels raw and broken-in, rooted in the storytelling chops of a man who’s spent much of the past half-century in the recording studio and on the road.
Bramblett tracked half of the album in East Nashville. He’d been coming to the city for decades, not only to play his own shows, but to record some of his own earlier albums for New West Records, as well. Once those sessions wrapped up, he headed back to his adopted hometown of Athens, Georgia — a four-hour drive from his birthplace of Jesup — to finish the record with familiar partners like Seth Hendershot, A.J. Adams, Tom Ryan and Nick Johnson. The result is a mix of organic performances and electronic textures: an album built for roadhouse dance floors, dark lonely corners, and the long ride from past to present.
Today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the new tune “Throw My Cane Away,” a clear standout on the album that fully captures Bramblett’s devotion to a New Orleans soul sound with a nod to one of its musical heroes. Indeed, the “Mac” mentioned in the song is none other than Dr. John as Bramblett and his band lay down a swirling mix of soul, R&B, and funk to keep the song bouncing and grooving along. Bramblett’s gravelly baritone keeps the song jiving forward over a soundtrack brimming with horns, sharp guitar, and big harmonies. Ultimately, this seems like the exact song that the great Dr. John himself would record and Bramblett is clearly paying a deeper homage than just referencing him in the lyrics.
Bramblett describes the inspiration behind the tune:
Several years ago, a friend told me a story about a chance meeting with Dr. John in New York City. The conversation they had was about the joy, freedom, and fragility of their recovery from drug addiction. I added the twist of Johnny being a ghost. Funny, sad, and funky.
LISTEN:
