Review: Gov’t Mule ‘Peace…Like A River’

Review: Gov’t Mule ‘Peace…Like A River’

By Mike O’Cull

Jam band giants Gov’t Mule embrace their classic rock influences and use them to fly high on the group’s new album Peace…Like A River.

The record comes down June 16th, 2023 on the Fantasy imprint and is meant as a return to a more rock-oriented sound after the Mule’s epic, Grammy-nominated blues effort Heavy Load Blues. The tracks on this new release were actually recorded at the same time as Heavy Load Blues in adjacent studio spaces. The band and co-producer John Paterno set up two entirely different rooms of amps, guitars, microphones, and attitudes to give each album its own definite identity. It’s an unusual method of working but it paid off handsomely. Peace…Like A River vibes like a masterful album from the 70s and can stand shoulder-to-shoulder with anything from that magic era.

The dual studio sessions went down with a workflow that combined structure and spontaneity. “We would go in around noon and work on the new original material,” guitarist/vocalist Warren Haynes says. “We would record songs for Peace…Like a River until about 9:00 at night, and then we would take a break.” After dinner, the band would reassemble in the smaller room. “We’d play blues for the rest of the night,” Haynes says. “It was a way of cleansing our palate: Now, we don’t have to think about all these complex arrangements and approaches. We can just shut our brains off and play blues.”

The current Gov’t Mule lineup of Haynes plus Matt Abts on drums, Jorgen Carlsson on bass, and Danny Louis on keys brought in some talented friends to make this song cycle even more special. Luminaries Billy F. Gibbons (ZZ Top), Ruthie Foster, Ivan Neville, Celisse, and Billy Bob Thornton all add their personal touches to the album and deepen its character.

From the jump, Peace…Like A River speaks to deeply human issues. The opener, “Same As It Ever Was,” takes on the difficulties of life during the pandemic and afterwards in a spiritual and eloquent manner that will make your bad days a little easier. Haynes lets himself soar on vocals and guitar and delivers an arguably best-ever performance. It’s hard to keep a dry eye when he sings “Sanctify your soul like the first time that you heard rock and roll.” This cut, alone, is worth getting the album for and it’s going to help a lot of people heal what’s broken inside them.

ZZ Top frontman Billy F. Gibbons drops in to help season the more lighthearted Texas rocker “Shake Our Way Out.” The tune is a perfect vehicle for Gibbons and Haynes to bounce off of each other and their friendship and chemistry are easy to hear. Both men are blues/rock titans and do amazing work over the tough pocket put down by the rest of the Mule.

Haynes leads his crew into Beatle territory on the melody-heavy “Made My Peace,” which features orchestral maneuvers by The Kerhonkson Philharmonic. The song contains double-tracked vocals, a harmonized slide solo, and a twisting, turning arrangement full of Liverpudlian tactics. It’s a large-scale tune that’ll pull you into the world it creates quickly with its ideal blend of influence and originality.

The funky “Dreaming Out Loud” brings in Ivan Neville and Ruthie Foster to help rock Haynes’ lyrics based on inspiring quotes from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Robert and John Kennedy, and the late civil rights leader and U.S. Representative John Lewis. It’s a mighty jam with a Sly Stone flavor and a message that remains all-too relevant. It’s also the social and emotional peak of the album.

“The River Only Flows One Way” is moody and keyboard-centered, thanks to ivory-tickler Danny Louis. Billy Bob Thornton turns in a dramatic lead vocal take that adds to the track’s neo-noir feel and quasi-reggae groove. This one will creep into your soul and set up housekeeping.

There’s no bad music on Peace…Like A River and fans of smart, meaningful guitar rock will rapidly put it into daily rotation. Warren Haynes is one of the biggest talents of our times and his conceptual and musical visions become more expansive with each new release. Highly recommended.

Pre-order ‘Peace…Like A River’ Here

Watch “Dreaming Out Loud”