Alpha Mule - Peripheral Vision (2017)

OFFICIAL: http://www.alphamulemusic.com/

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Written by Mike Yoder, posted by blog admin

It’s apparent from the cascading acoustic guitars and bourbon bashing banjo of “Corpus Christi” that with Alpha Mule you’re in for a trip down memory lane.  Those golden days when country was country, rock was rock, rap was rap and we didn’t have to crisscross 20 different genres together in the name of experimentation.  Sometimes, you just want a style of music to be what it is.  Experimenting can be a good thing, don’t get me wrong but in an ol’ Americana type of sound, well, just save it or you’re going to end up sounding disjointed. 

The debut, Peripheral Vision, from country/folk duo Alpha Mule was written, arranged and mostly played by just two gentlemen; Joe Forkan on acoustic guitar/lead vocals and Eric Stoner on banjo and additional acoustic guitars.  They get some help with the auxiliary instrumentation by a number of special guests including two members of Calexico who are also another modern purveyor of these original recipe types of sounds who are well-worth a dedicated listen.  “On the Moon” eases up on the opener’s full-throttle, bluegrass-leaned pacing for a steadfast trot that mingles upbeat country and blues into the inspired folk Americana heard on the intro.  Multiple acoustic guitar melodies, a fiery banjo melody and superb vocals come together for a positive sounding jam that’s sure to incite a few sing-a-long followers.  The music heard here is straight out of the 50s or 60s but with a modern production upbeat that allows each instrument plenty of opportunities to be heard, especially those big, fat upright bass lines courtesy of Joey Burns from Calexico. 

The title track is steeped in pedal steel guitars and dazzling, diamond sharp melodies being delivered by both the acoustic guitars and the banjos, while Forkan pushes a truly fine vocal hook into prominence.  There’s a Hawaiian themed flavor to this cut as strained through some prime 50s Nashville country that really gels together once you hear the disparate elements come together.  Dylan-esque, dark-folk smolders like the dying embers of a fire in the sullen sadness of “The Distance” and its minimalist, soundtrack-fare songwriting style.  Though Jack White was heavily featured on the soundtrack of Civil War epic Cold Mountain, one can easily hear the music of Alpha Male in that film score and it would have been just as authentic.  The boys kick the barn door open on “Pavlov’s” explosive bluegrass tendencies; a shotgun spread of at least 2 or 3 acoustic guitars, scorching banjo licks and a muscular rhythm flexed by the upright bass lend this tune some Johnny Horton or even Reverend Horton Heat tinged rockabilly influence.  “Mule in the Mine” is nearly equally upbeat and it’s appearance on the album later on as a duo bonus track (alongside other album cuts “Corpus Christi” and “Step Outside”) that shows the tune’s humble beginnings of just banjo, guitar and vocals.  Speaking of “Step Outside” it’s by far the most potent ballad number on the record.  This California creeper utilizes soft, glistening acoustic guitars and an abundance of complimentary steel guitars to create a highly melodic piece that rarely rises above a whisper.  Rock solid vocal harmonies etch this song permanently into your aural memory banks.  This jam is offset by some peppy bluegrass of the instrumental variety with “The Ballad of Huell Howser”’s runaway wagon tempos and crafty acoustic guitar/banjo trade-offs.  “Music of Our Hearts” incorporates trumpets and mellotron in a playful, plucky rendition of Mexican Mariachi music with a little Spanish flavor, leaving “Empire” to end the record on a high note with a stark, riveting ballad. 

Peripheral Vision astounds, stuns and amazes from front to back cover.  The bonus tracks are also well-worth a look as two of them are tracks that you don’t get on the regular album and the other three are pared down versions of the album tracks that make for an interesting point of comparison.  It’s a darn near perfect album that all fans of eccentric banjo/acoustic guitar-leaned acts will want to grab a copy of.