7" of the Day is THE DAD HORSE EXPERIENCE - "In My Time Of Dying / Folsom Prison Blues"

7" of the Day is The Dad Horse Experience XL - "In My Time Of Dying / Folsom Prison Blues". This 7" 45 RPM record was released June 24, 2013 via Muddy Roots Records, Off Label Records, and Sacred Flu Productions as part of Muddy Roots Vinyl Club Series No. 3. The actual recording took place in 2012 at Tunnelwood Studio in Bergamo, Italy by Marco Ghezzi & Gianluca Perucchini. This is the XL version of THE DAD HORSE EXPERIENCE and so instead of Dad Horse doing his one man band thing here, he is given a bit of help from Anto Marconi. The duties are divided as such: Dad Horse Ottn handled the Banjo, Bass Pedal and Vocals, while Anto Macaroni took on Electric Guitar, Drums, and Vocals.

Side A features Dad Horse and Anto performing a rendition of the Traditional gospel song "In My Time Of Dying". This jam has been recorded by countless performers over the years, with recordings of it dating back to at least the 1920's. The song, whether titled "In My Time Of Dying" or "Jesus Make Up My Dying Bed", has been recorded by everyone from Bluesmen like Blind Willie Johnson, Charlie Patton, Josh White, to Bob Dylan, John Fahey, John Sebastion, Shocking Blue, and perhaps most well known in Pop Culture, Led Zepplin, among many, many others. Regardless of what others have done before with the song, here it sounds like no one in the world, but THE DAD HORSE EXPERIENCE. That thick German accent, singing in English, plunking away on the Banjo while that odd Bass Pedal sounds behind it. Its weird, idiosyncratic, and fucking awesome. Its also cool to hear Dad Horse with the drums backing him up.

Side B gives us THE DAD HORSE EXPERIENCE XL performing Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues". From the strange scream that comes just a few seconds in, you know this isn't going to be a note for note copy of Cash's iconic prison song, no, this is pure Dad Horse territory. Really, aside from the well known lyrics the only really direct link to Cash's song is the memorable electric guitar solo which Anto delivers here a couple times.

All in all this is a killer single from THE DAD HORSE EXPERIENCE, but its probably not gonna change many minds, If you like Dad Horse, then you'll love this, but if you've heard Dad and thought "what in the fuck is going on?" then this isn't going to be an awakening for you. For those who have yet to experience that man, if you like Roots music, but have an open mind and can appreciate something outside the box, then check this out, you may just find your new favorite artist. This 7" is still available from Muddy Roots, I believe. I'm not sure how many were pressed in total, but if you were a subscriber to their vinyl club when it was released then you got a numbered/stamped copy, but if you order it individually later on or pick it up somewhere else, then its not numbered or stamped. I got mine from Dad Horse after seeing the man live in Terre Haute, last month.

All versions also come with a card from a free digital download through bandcamp that also includes a bonus song, "Away (Broken String Version)". The song "Away" originally appeared on THE DAD HORSE EXPERIENCE's 2008 album "Too Close To Heaven". This newly recorded version is similar but has a different more lively vibe, courtesy of Dad's energetic vocal performance, a much more prevalent Bass Pedal sound and the added instrumentation from Anto Macaroni on Electric Guitar and Gianluca Perucchini on drums.

Listen to these jams here:
http://thedadhorseexperience.bandcamp.com/album/in-my-time-of-dying-folsom-prison-blues-feat-anto-macaroni

Buy the 7" here:
http://muddyroots.myshopify.com/products/dad-horse-experience-xl-feat-anto-macaroni-in-my-time-of-dying-folsom-prison-blues

For all things Dad Horse, go here:
http://www.dad-horse-experience.org/

Andy Sweitzer