Juke Joint at the Edge of the World is a record that reflects the freedom my bandmates and I have found playing together in the last few years. Some of the places we play are like the old juke joints where people dance and shout - from these people and places we’ve found the energy we need to be free to shake the music up. Now, when we improvise we know it’s going to take us to a new and better musical place. Time listening and working together has given us that. The result is that this record has more of a “live in the studio” feel to it. It’s also rooted more in the soul and R&B dance music I grew up listening to and playing. Less thinking and more playing. Less analyzing and more fun. When I wrote these new songs, I inhabited various characters and let them speak from their worlds about delusions and fantasy (Plan B), poverty, humour and strength (Pot Holes on Main Street), memories of my youth and class / race segregation (Garbage Man). I dreamed the song Mali Katra (what language is that?) after seeing a large group of vultures roosting on a cell tower on one of my walks. This got me thinking about the spirits and powers that roam the world and run in the background of our lives. The artwork for the cover reminds me of the absurdity and wildness of all that. I thought about calling the record “Rex Comes Home”…Anyway, I wouldn’t take that call from that particular cell tower. I could go on and on but suffice it to say the music is freer this time and the songs will take you places that make you dream and dance. Enjoy! - Randall Bramblett.
