ROBERT CONNELY FARR & THE REBELTONE BOYS: DIRTY SOUTH BLUES
Dirty South Blues – Robert Connely Farr & the Rebeltone Boys Release Date: September 14th, 2018
Track Listing:
1. Ode to the Lonesome 2. Dirty South Blues 3. Blue Front Cafe 4. Hard Time Killin' Floor Blues 5. Magnolia 6. Lady Heroin 7. Just Jive 8. Cypress Tree Blues 9. Yes Ma'am 10. Hey Mr. Devil
In case you didn’t already know, Vancouver is now home to Bolton, Mississippi singer/songwriter, Robert Connely Farr. His full-length album Dirty South Blues was released in late 2018 – recorded in our very own Lethbridge, Alberta. The Rebeltone Boys include Evan Ushenko (lead guitar), Tyson Maiko (bass), Kyle Harmon (drums) and Michael Ayotte (keys).
Something old and something new. Farr collaborated with his blues mentor, Jimmy “Duck” Holmes, to create “Just Jive,” and also included his own cover of Skip James’ “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues.”
In this album, Farr voices his disagreement with the political, societal and religious stances of the Southern United States. The title track shows this in lyrics such as, “Take me back to the Dirty South, Lord / where the devil makes his whiskey and crosses burn,” and “Take me back to the land of cotton / old times there are not forgotten,” commenting on past ways and the discrimination of people that continues today. With a sturdy drum beat and the country twang of electric guitar, it’s a powerful song both lyrically and in rhythm.
“Just Jive” is a refreshing and upbeat song that cuts nicely through the weight of the other tracks on the album. Incorporating a song like this shows his diversity in both instrumental sounds and vocal ability. Even though it has a much different sound, there is a distinctive flare that Farr integrates into the song that allows it to fit the feel of the album.
“Magnolia” starts with deep acoustic strumming and echoing vocals that create a haunting atmosphere. The lyrics are statements on equality and remark negatively on Confederate ideologies. The song begins, “Heading down Highway 49 / Down near Hinds County lines / I see a rebel flag flying high / I hang my head and sigh,” which paints a picture for the kind of imagery and beliefs splashed onto the Southern landscape.
“Blue Front Cafe” is a comment on religion in the Southern United States. “Now the preacher man he come to take me down to the church / tried to lay his hands on me / I put him in the dirt,” Much like “Dirty South Blues,” this song has that electric guitar element that gives it more of rock edge, despite being a slower song. The drum beat gives the song an almost sultry feel to it, which contrasts Farr’s rugged vocals perfectly.
“Hey Mr. Devil” is the final track and is one of the slower tempo songs, as well as the longest song on the album. The sound is so smooth and is really one of those songs that just makes you want to sway to it. The lyrics read, “Hey Mr. Devil / won’t you send my baby back this way / she ain’t never been gone this long / I fear she gone to stay.” The instrumental fade at the very end of the song works well to bring the album to a clear conclusion. You can also watch the music video for “Hey Mr. Devil” on Robert Connely Farr’s Youtube channel now.
Dirty South Blues is an album that successfully covers real issues, and the Southern Blues genre is what makes the stories flow so flawlessly. The controversial topics that Farr discusses is accentuated by the raw sound of the tracks.
Written by: Liz Douglas
Dirty South Blues by Robert Connely Farr & the Rebeltone Boys