Gov’t Mule Announces New Album ‘Heavy Load Blues’ Shares New Single

Photo: Gov’t Mule by Jay Sansone

Gov’t Mule announces their new album, Heavy Load Blues, to be released Friday November 12 on Fantasy Records and shares new single “Heavy Load.” The band’s first-ever blues album, the record is available for pre-order at all DSPs here and each pre-save will include an instant download of the first song. Listen to the new song “Heavy Load” below. The 13 track set features a mix of tunes written by Warren Haynes and covers brought to the fore by Elmore James, Ann Peebles, Tom Waits, Howlin’ Wolf and Bobby “Blue” Bland. CD and Vinyl packages, including a deluxe edition featuring additional studio and live tracks, are available here

“For me, personally, it’s kind of been on my list of things to do for years. I didn’t know if it was gonna be a solo album or a Gov’t Mule record. We play some traditional blues on stage from time to time and although it’s usually never more than a few songs per show, our approach to the blues is unique and based on our collective chemistry as a band. This album gave us a mission. Although in some way it was ‘anything goes,’ we wanted to stay true to the spirit of the blues in a traditional sense. It’s not a blues/rock record – it’s a blues record. We wanted it sonically to sound different from a normal Gov’t Mule record.” –Warren Haynes

Listen to “Heavy Load”

A follow up to 2017’s Revolution Come…Revolution Go, Heavy Load Blues was recorded live in the studio at The Power Station New England in Waterford, Connecticut. Haynes co-produced the album and says, “I didn’t know if it was gonna be a solo album or a Gov’t Mule record. We play some traditional blues on stage from time to time and although it’s usually never more than a few songs per show, our approach to the blues is unique based on our collective chemistry as a band.”

As a bonus, Gov’t Mule offers fans a behind the scenes look into making the album, thanks to a five minute video that sees band members Warren Haynes, Matt Abts, Danny Louis, and Jorgen Carlsson discuss the new record. Watch the video here

Haynes adds, “This album gave us a mission. Although in some way it was ‘Anything goes,’ we wanted to stay true to the spirit of the blues in a traditional sense. It’s not a blues/rock record—it’s a blues record. We wanted it sonically to sound different from a normal Gov’t Mule record.”

13 tracks will be included as part of the album’s standard release, with eight more featured on a Deluxe Version of Heavy Load Blues.