Album Of The Week: Hammer Down

Artist: The SteelDrivers

Producers: The SteelDrivers & Luke Wooten

Favorite Song: Burnin' The Woodshed Down

Least Favorite Song: When I'm Gone

Rating: 9.5/10

Hammer Down Cover Art

Hammer Down was the first album released by the bluegrass heavyweights, The SteelDrivers, after losing guitarist and mandolin player Mike Henderson and lead vocalist Chris Stapleton. Ever heard of him before? Stapleton went on to have an incredible solo career with hits like "Tennessee Whiskey," "Second One To Know," and "White Horse."

Stapleton was replaced by Gary Nichols, and Nichols sounds quite similar to Stapleton. I find that interesting, but it does help keep a similar sound to the band. Although the group lost two key players, this album is one of their very best.

The album opens with a foot-stompin' love gone wrong song. The relationship went so wrong, the narrator decided to "Bury my love with a silver spade / Laid her down in a shallow grave" to open the song and get repeated in the chorus. The verses reflect on the relationship and explain how it got rocky until he ultimately ended things in the chorus.

The album continues with the theme of love gone wrong with "How Long Have I Been Your Fool" as the very next track with "Lonesome Goodbye." Following "How Long Have I Been Your Fool" is a very upbeat cheating song "When You Don't Come Home" which features the best vocal performance by Gary Nichols in the chorus of the song.

My favorite song on the album is a song about childhood trauma. Right off the bat in the first verse the mom drank herself to death. In the second verse the narrator tells us how his dad took him out back behind the woodshed and beat him. So, with all of this anger, the narrator decided to get his revenge on his dad by saying "I'm gonna show that man just what I mean / Pour out this can on kerosene / I'm gonna toss this match into the breeze / I'm gonna show this man just what I mean." That way he can burn the woodshed down. This song has great storytelling and a great banjo lick that repeats throughout the song.

This album isn't all sad and hopeless in it's lyrical content. One of the best tracks, "Wearin' A Hole," is such a good time. Although what led the narrator to go drink and dance at this honky tonk is heartbreak (surprising, I know), overall "Wearin' A Hole is a boot stompin', heal slidin' good time musically.

It is very impressive that a band can lose two key members and still make incredible music. Rediscovering this album made me realize I have not listened to the next one, The Muscle Shoals Recordings. For now check out Hammer Down, which can be heard below.