Mark Porkchop Holder - Death and the Blues (2017)

Mark “Porkchop” Holder originally turned the blues on its head more than a decade ago as a founding member of punk/blues band Black Diamond Heavies. While he’s been tearing up juke joints, festivals and dive bars since then with his own fiery brand of the blues, it wasn’t until earlier this year that the Tennessee musician released his own debut solo album, Let It Slide, an acclaimed effort that No Depression described as, “…fire in a barrel. If the Rolling Stones camped with Howlin’ Wolf and Billy Gibbons on trucker speed for the weekend with a fuzz pedal, this would be its precious procreation.”



Now just nine months later, the guitar-slinging, harp-shredding bluesman is releasing his follow-up album, Death and the Blues. On it, Holder, along with Travis Kilgore (bass) and Doug Bales (drums), builds on the success of his previous album with eight newly penned tracks, along with three rousing covers.



Despite the fact that this was recorded in the same studio as their last album (Tiny Buzz in Chattanooga, TN) and by the same line-up, the results are much heavier and tighter on this affair, with Holder’s inventive slide guitar-work snarling and baring teeth over the rock-solid rhythms from Kilgore and Bales.



“Blues is the music of poor people, and poor people live closer to death than other people do,” Holder admits. “The message of the title track is simple: death and the blues are real. I have a personal connection with the symbols of death; they remind me not to waste my time."



Carrying the mantle of archetypal bluesmen like Robert Johnson and Mississippi Fred McDowell, while also slinging the caustic bite of The Clash and rock weight of Black Sabbath, Holder and his band (bassist Travis Kilgore and drummer Doug Bales) roar through the wilds of old-school blues, rock and punk. – NOOGA.COM



Their music is not for the faint of heart. It’s raw, gritty, and passionate. Holder’s group is heavy (no pun intended), with snarling guitar that sounds to us like the product of Tinsley Ellis and Leslie West meeting in a dark alley. The rhythm section, made up of Travis Kilgore (bass), and Doug Bales (drums) will rattle the fillings right out of your mouth. – AMERICAN BLUES SCENE



A gutsy, raw, blistering beast. – CHATTANOOGA PULSE



“Captain Captain” is an electrifying tale of prison blues. Complete with driving guitar, harmonica, and drums, the song is yet another strong addition to Porkchop’s blazing blues portfolio. – POPMATTERS

Mark Holder - Guitars, Harp, Vocals
Travis Kilgore- Bass, Vocals
Doug Bales- Drums, Percussion

Track List:
01 Captain Captain 04:42
02 Sad Days and Lonely Nights 04:23
03 Coffin Lid 03:43
04 Big Boat 03:41
05 Nobody Wants to Cry 03:10
06 Be Righteous 03:54
07 Bless Me Santasima 01:26
08 Billy the Kid 03:38
09 James Leg 01:47
10 What Is Wrong with Your Mind 03:49
11 Death and the Blues 03:53

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