Backwoods Payback Power Forward with ‘Future Slum’
“Pull a string, a puppet moves...” -- Charles Bukowski
This is not what you're expecting. This is BACKWOODS PAYBACK. We've been following the band with West Chester roots since their early days with Small Stone Records and featured the hard rockin' sludgy blues trio in our recent compilation, Doomed & Stoned in Philadelphia. Maybe it's because their songs are so damned accessible that I've always had a soft spot for 'em. Yes, there's the strong stoner-punk undercurrent that undeniably brings out your moshing spirit, but there's also this strange, familiar sense of Americana about the band. It's hard to define exactly, but to me the Backwoods Payback sound feels authentic to the long, tangled history of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the Appalachian Mountains that cut right through its midsection. Something about the cover art by Nick Potts seems to echo this sentiment, as though we were peering into a time portal at some 18th century country boy determined to settle the score on a longtime family grudge.
Mike Cummings (guitar, vox) leads with the confidence of a veteran singer who can pull back and bring it hard when he needs to, which is entirely important to the success of the songs on 'Future Slum' (2018). The melodies on their latest LP feel familiar and inviting, while the riffs sure do get the floorboards shaking and stir up a dust storm! Jessica Baker (bass) provides fierce backing vocals that made me immediately think of a band just a few states south along the east coast: Kylesa. Erik Larson (drums) should be given a hearty pat on the back, too, for his excellent rhythmic instincts. He's the outfit's newest addition, but well known in the field already -- an alumnus of Alabama Thunderpussy, HailHornet, The Mighty Nimbus, Morne, Avail, and so many solid bands besides.
After more than 15 years together, Backwoods Payback have more than earned their stripes with this fifth album. Future Slum is sure to be cherished favorite among fans and a pleasant surprise for all the newcomers. It's a fitting companion, not only the aforementioned Atlanta band, but the likes of Egypt, Clutch, ASG, The Heavy Eyes, and Royal Thunder (whose Mlny Parsonz already cameoed on the first single). I could easily see myself wearing out this CD, playing it over and over on long road trips.
Future Slum, which was recorded and mixed not six months ago by Mike Bardzik and mastered by Tom Volpicicelli, cuts loose August 3rd on vinyl, CD, and digital formats and can be gotten right here. Until then, enjoy your first listen to the album's second single, "Lines," which Doomed & Stoned is proud to premiere for you today.
Future Slum is not a pretty record. It’s not the clean and well-manicured one sitting awkwardly at a table in the local watering hole, it’s the grizzled one propping up the bar and regaling the crowd with conspiracy theories. Mike Cummings, guitarist and vocalist of Backwoods Payback - the ones responsible for this lumbering hulk of stoner rock n’ roll - certainly fits the bill, whether he’s yowling his head off or singing in an eerily hypnotic manner. Meanwhile, Jessica Baker is the reliable anchor on bass, and Erik Larson (he of Alabama Thunderpussy and the legendary hardcore band Avail, no less) gives a thumping performance on his kit. A friend pops her head round the door, too. Mlny Parsonz of Royal Thunder trades words in her usual melodious tones on the apathetic ‘Whatever’, yet also pulling out a surprising rasp.
Backwoods Payback are also able to spin a good yarn about their travels - sharing stages with Fu Manchu, Scissorfight and Third Eye Blind, a bewildering list when put side-by-side, but each represents an important factor in this band’s aesthetic. Fu Manchu demonstrate the “gloryfucked fuzz”, as Backwoods Payback so eloquently put it; Scissorfight showcase the no-holds-barred burly brawling such as on “Generals”; Third Eye Blind for the occasional moments of calm (!) like in “Big Enough”, giving brief respite from the warning shots being fired throughout the rest of the records.
Five albums in, Future Slum is the fruit of a hard slog for fifteen years. Understandably, they are excited for it to see the light of day, not least for its cryptic subject matter. “It all revolves around the idea of feeling lost and disenfranchised with your surroundings, finding your people, and losing yourself within them. Have you ever followed?” Mike finishes, quoting from second track “Lines”. It’s up to you if you can read between them.
