The Third Eye

And now for something completely different. Ever-Lovin’ Jug Band is a group that answers the question of what a one-gallon jug bass would sound like in ‘50s rock-n-roll, psychedelic, garage, jazz, and wall-of-sound songs. Of course, I’m not sure who posed this question in the first place, but I’m happy the band has answered it in the form of a new album called Move That Thing, due out on July 19th via Jalopy Records.

Everything on the new record was written, arranged, played, sung, recorded, and produced by just the two members of the group, a duo comprised of Minnie Heart and Bill Howard. So, rest assured, this is as much of a DIY project as they come.

Along with a jug on every track, other sounds include baritone sax, heavy percussion, drums, soaring string sections, tape delay, wild textures, and backward effects. All but two of the songs feature dual lead vocals, where Howard and Heart sing in unison and create a double-tracked vocal effect on top of loads of backup vocals to give the music a warm, thick sound.

Move That Thing was recorded on tape on a TASCAM MS-16 and M520 mixing console, using a variety of vintage mics and outboard gear. The album was mixed live in real-time through the mixing board rather than on a computer, so each mix is a performance in itself. While the record is incredibly trippy, most of the songs are still acoustic, with only a few electric guitars interspersed throughout.

Now that the band is done with the record, they’re hard at work on making a visual presentation of the entire album. That consists of making twelve music videos – one for every song – inspired by sci-fi, film noir, kung-fu, boring documentaries, crappy vintage TV shows, etc., they spent endless hours watching and studying while stuck at home during the pandemic.

Move That Thing is the fourth record for the group, which spent the 2010s touring North America, busking, and making friends and fans. Ever-Lovin’ Jug Band has played at the Brooklyn Folk Festival, Rotterdam “Bluegrass” Festival, and more.

They say the new record explores new dimensions in modern musical arrangements and is a starting point for the second century of jug band music. Now, I don’t know much about jug band music, but I do know that a special aspect of the legendary 13th Floor Elevators’ sound came from Tommy Hall’s innovative use of the electric jug. So, the fact that Ever-Lovin’ Jug Band professed a simultaneous love for psychedelic music and the jug made me especially interested in this new record.

The resulting music is the freakiest psych-folk you may hear in a long time. The album opens with “Cabbage White,” a meaty slab of weirdo psych-slob glam with hints of bluegrass and traditional roots music. “Little Rubber Boots” sounds like a ragtime ditty, while “Enter The Fishman” truly brings the psychedelic flair with distorted vocals and all.

“The Sit Around” brings us back to the Fifties rock ‘n roll, followed by “Five Pin,” which feels more contemporary psych. “I Got Bit” is like a modern psych-blues fever dream, leading to “What’s That Wow?!” and the sounds of perhaps some long-lost Chubby Checker single. 

“In Love With You” keeps us glued to the static of old-time rock ‘n roll radio and Rockwellian pleasures. “Boom Box Rag” is a jazzy string band delight you might hear in the French Quarter. The album closes with the soaring strings in “Dreamland,” another missive from some imaginary ragtime radio broadcast.

I wouldn’t call Move That Thing psychedelic, though there certainly are a few songs that are. But what exactly would you call this album? I’m unsure, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. It sounds like Ever-Lovin’ Jug Band raided the archives of the Smithsonian and created an amalgam of cultural artifacts, with so many songs as reference points to a large trove of musical history. The result is a stunning work that will appeal to fans of all types of music.

Pre-order Move That Thing by Ever-Lovin’ Jug Band on Bandcamp here.

You can support Ever-Lovin’ Jug Band by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or social media (Instagram, Facebook).

You can support Jalopy Records by finding them on Bandcamp, their official website, or Facebook.

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