*** Gov't Mule

LIFE BEFORE INSANITY

(Capricorn)

Like the Band at the turn of the '70s, Gov't Mule write songs that look forward while refusing to eschew the nourishing links of tradition. On the full-tilt stunner Life Before Insanity, the Mule weave between bad-ass boogie and complex balladry, retaining the subversive essences of their roots-music patrimony and moving from expansive groove orientation toward radio-ready rockers. The centerpieces of the disc reflect the exploration of previous forays distilled into a vibrant cohesive style, from the Zeppelinesque title track to the superbad single "Bad Little Doggie," where Hook Herrera's sublime blues harp underscores every strut and thrust, to the disc's hidden track, a rollicking cover of Robert Johnson's "If I Had Possession over Judgment Day." Singer/guitarist Warren Haynes's lap-steel-playing peer Ben Harper guests on the other stellar song, "Lay Your Burden Down," a spontaneous hybrid fusing that patented Little Feat funk with gospel. Sure, Gov't Mule still bash out anthems with grace, but Life is an adult version of rock and roll distilled with equal parts inspired musicianship and the moral weight of Haynes's gothic folk fables.

-- Kandia Crazy Horse