The Departed – “ADVENTUS” Album Review

The Departed – “ADVENTUS”

“Canada and co. dig deep and emerge with an album and a sound that transcends classification.”

by Tango Sho’Nuff

The Departed have arrived.  No time to waste discussing the past, no more obligatory paragraphs about Ragweed, no back story about the formation of the band, if you need to play catch up, use Google or YouTube.  After almost two full years of touring, writing, recording, and more touring…”Adventus” is here, and we finally get to properly hear what The Departed are truly about.

I feel obligated to say this, and I’ll do so now…this record isn’t for everyone.   And unless you are already a fan, I doubt you’ll be exposed to it very often cause country radio ain’t touching this with a ten foot pole.  I’m not even convinced that Rock radio will get it either.  For every person that listens and gets hooked, there will be 2 that are just left confused as hell.  No room for sugar-coating here people…this is the type of record that draws a very bold line in the sand.  If you are a fan of country radio, this record will most likely not appeal to you.  This is an album made by people who believe in music as art, not product.  Unless something drastic has changed since the last time I tuned into a “Nashville” themed station, I can only assume that the majority of songs in the Top 20 are still a combination of pop fluff, faux ‘rock’ riff drivel, and lyrical content akin to a beer commercial.    I’m not trying to be snobby or hateful, if the extent of your musical taste begins and ends with songs about back roads, cold beer, trucks and half-naked hick-town hookers…more power to you.  However, this album is for the people who want to be moved by music on a deeper level.  It would be easier to just come out and say that The Departed are a rock band, but even that could be mis-construed.  Let’s face it, rock radio isn’t exactly a great choice if you’re looking to hear actual rock music.

It would even be a safe bet to say some of the Red Dirt/Texas Country scenesters aren’t going to be able to process “Adventus” right off the bat, because one listen front to back amply demonstrated to me the glaring fact that Cody Canada and Co. have clearly outgrown the genre.  No, “Adventus” is, to be brutally honest…too good for radio.  This is real rock music played with passion and conviction, something most music fans aren’t even aware still exists.  But that’s not to say there’s not great music being made in this day and age, you just have to dig a little harder to find it.  Those who dig and come across “Adventus” are in for one hell of a treat.

“Adventus” consists of 14 tracks, with the lead vocal duties pretty evenly split (Canada sings 6, James sings 6, Plato sings one, and one instrumental).  The Departed’s sound is as varied as it is infectious.  Canada’s signature twangy snarl meshes beautifully with James powerful bluesy voice and Plato’s harmony vocals blend well with both of them.  Steve Littleton’s keys and organ work adds depth and character throughout, giving the mellower songs a rich, 3D quality, and some extra muscle to the more rocking tunes.  Throughout the album’s 14 tracks, The Departed effortlessly blend between countless styles, seemingly taking the best elements of rock, r&b, soul, blues, funk and country and meshing them together into a totally new and fresh sound.  But perhaps their most impressive aspect is the ability to do this without it sounding forced, each track flows into the next organically, making for a very interesting and fun listening experience.

If you can’t tell by now, I’m almost at a loss for words with how to best describe The Departed’s sound.  Yes, it indeed harkens back to the glory days of the 70’s, yet doesn’t come across as a throwback or nostalgia act.  It most certainly “rocks”, but in varying degrees, ranging from a ZZ Top/Gov’t Mule like stomp to early 90’s alternative crossed with barn burning blues rock.  There’s still a strong singer-songwriter/Americana vibe throughout and if that’s not enough, it’s all topped off and slathered in deep funky grooves that recall seminal acts like Booker T & the MG’s and The Meters.  Most importantly, it all comes across as authentic.  Even the most bitter, die-hard Ragweed fans who still feel obligated to pine for their return will be hard pressed not to realize the undeniable chemistry and sheer musical force The Departed offer.  Strap in folks, here’s a track by track rundown.

“Worth The Fight” –  Kicking off the disk is this stomping rocker, featuring an uptempo ACDC-ish beat flanked by meaty riffs, dual guitar solos, snarling vocals courtesy of Canada, and an outro riff that sounds like it came straight off a Sabbath record.  Pure rock fury at it’s finest.

“Burden” –  Sang by James, “Burden” crosses an almost Allman Brothers type feel in the verse with a cool call and response vocal in the chorus and a fuzz and wah wah soaked guitar solo.   James’ vocal presence is undeniable, his voice booms with power yet retains a nice character that lends itself to harmonies provided by Plato and even Canada on occasion.

“Prayer For The Lonely” – A strong early standout with an R&B groove straight out of Motown’s early catalog featuring another excellent vocal performance by James and some wicked organ work from Littleton.  There’s literally no one out there writing music like this currently and it is as refreshing as it is shocking coming from 5 white boys from the OK/TX region.

“Blackhorse Mary” – A delightfully unique song that features prominent vocal parts from all 3 vocalists all wrapped up into a sound caught somewhere between Robin Trower and STP.  Melodic and moody, dynamic yet defined, it’s the type of track that takes risks and pays off big time.

“Hard To Find” – Uplifting and funky, this track is southern-fried soul music at it’s finest, garnished with thick guitar tones and deep grooves.  James takes the lead once again backed by Plato in the chorus while Littleton lays down some absolutely infectious clav lines further adding to the funk.

“Hobo” – Here we’re treated to a lead vocal courtesy of Jeremy Plato and he delivers in spades.  The track has a distinct country flavor, from the arrangement down to the lyrical content and is a welcome departure early in the sequence, keeping things fresh and unpredictable.

“Flagpole” – Canada’s vocals are absolutely seething with attitude on this fireball of a rocker.  Pounding drums and driving guitars are juxtaposed with snaking counter melodies and an almost anthemic chorus.  This track will more than appease fans of Ragweed’s earlier slabs of rock goodness.

“Cold Hard Fact” – The Americana factor is in full force on this one.  Acoustic guitars, harmonica and organ swells cross with sparse electric guitar, letting Canada’s vocal and the lyric shine through.  But just when you think  Littleton’s organ is gonna have the last ride out, Canada and James chime in with a glorious lead section brimming with feel and soul.

“Demons” – James serves up a unique hybrid of Honky Tonk Funk on this stellar cut.  The lyrics may be dark, but the groove is downright infectious.  Plato adds some killer harmonies in the chorus before James unleashes a furious fuzz soaked solo.

“Set It Free” – Canada reclaims the mic on this bar-room blues by way of Funkytown.  Beginning with a chromatic funk riff, the arrangement constantly builds upon this foundation adding bluesy fills, an ass shaking bass groove and another strong chorus before seguing into a 2 minute instrumental outro filled with bursts of blues rock heaven.

“Better Get Right” – Seth James takes us to church with this outstanding piece of New Orleans gospel grooveness.  Wah soaked clav, throbbing bass and more fuzzy guitar, this one will be a live favorite for sure.

“250,000 Things” – This is what Cody Canada does best, pour his heart out with complete sincerity, just him and an acoustic guitar.  On an album filled with big, powerful songs with insane musicianship…it takes a song like this to remind you why you ever fell in love with this guy in the first place.  Dig it people.

“Mark It Wrong” – A four-minute instrumental of epic proportions.  One minute it’s as if you’re listening to a classic Stax Record, the next you’re hit with 60’s psychedelic soul, all wrapped up in pulsing rock blasts.  An unexpected treat for sure.

“Sweet Lord” – Closing the record is this breathtakingly beautiful ballad sang gorgeously by James.  Not much else to say about it other than you have to hear it to feel it.  You’ll be hard pressed to find a dry eye in the house if this one is ever performed live.

There you have it folks, a modern classic.  Make no mistake about it, these 14 tracks are simply head and shoulders above 95% of the music being made today.  If “Adventus” is any indication of the future, The Departed have a more than solid chance to reach that upper echelon of legendary acts that seem to cross all musical boundaries and transcend into something you just can’t put your finger on.  And as far as my backhanded comments toward radio and the mainstream music consuming public go…I hope I’m wrong.  No matter how small and petty a thing like this sounds, but with music like this floating through the majority of the airwaves every day…I can guaran-damn-tee you the world would be a better place.  So in closing, if you were a Ragweed fan…this will both surprise and satisfy you.  If music means something to you you really can’t explain…I mean, really inspires you in a way different from just making you want a 6 pack or sing along to some asenine phrase repeatedly…this is something you need to look into.  And lastly, if you long for the days when rock was rock, and good music was just good music, this is what you’ve been looking for.  The Departed have arrived, let’s look to the heavens and pray they never leave.

10/10 stars

https://www.thedepartedmusic.com

https://www.ragschwag.com

https://www.facebook.com/Codycanadaandthedeparted

Cody Canada & The Departed – “This is Indian Land” – Album Review

  Cody Canada & The Departed – “This is Indian Land”

“Big risks payoff for Canada and Co. on unorthodox debut release”

by: Tango Sho’Nuff

In May of 2010, after a decade+ career, Red Dirt darlings Cross Canadian Ragweed decided to call it a day.  Since the split, each member has occupied their time rather constructively.  Cross now owns and operates the bar where Ragweed played their first gig, Ragsdale has split time between family life and playing with Stoney LaRue while Canada and bassist Jeremy Plato resurfaced in  2011 with a new lineup, a new name, and a rather unusual debut album.

Right out of the gate, when the new line-up was announced, a large number of Red Dirt fans and critics began describing The Departed as a “super-group” of sorts, while many disgruntled Ragweed fans simply looked at them as a “side project” until their beloved CCR made their return.  While not a side project, the “super-group” tag was justifiable.  Drummer David Bowen has played with countless Red Dirt acts (Stoney LaRue/Bleu Edmonson) and has a might impressive Jazz resume as well.  Keyboardist Steve Littleton (Medicine Show) brings depth and texture courtesy of his Rhodes, Wurlitzer, Clav and Hammond skills, and Texas native Seth James supplies bluesy licks, stellar tone, and a downright powerful voice.

Billed as an Oklahoma Tribute Album, “This is Indian Land” can essentially be described as a covers LP with a unique twist, the twist being that out of the album’s 15 songs, 13 of them you are damn near guaranteed to have never heard before.  With the exception of the Leon Russell classic “Home Sweet Oklahoma” and J.J.Cale’s “If You’re Ever in Oklahoma”, every other track here was written either solely or collaboratively by a laundry list of legendarily obscure Oklahoma songwriters.

Outside of the Oklahoma/Texas scene, names like Tom Skinner, Kevin Welch, and Randy Pease don’t ring very many bells, but in the minds of Canada and The Departed, as well as the collective opinion of die-hard Red Dirt fans, these are household names…THESE are their Springsteens and Dylans.  While being a commendable and heartfelt tip of the hat to their heroes and influences, the fact that this was going to be The Departed’s debut release made the idea seem like a gamble that could easily backfire…would anyone outside of the Red Dirt scene get it?

Being as I was one of the thousands of uninitiated, I was skeptical upon first listen, but about 15 minutes in… skepticism quickly turned to admiration.  The songs are fantastically diverse and brilliantly arranged and the band’s performance collectively and individually prove that the “super-group” tag  given by some was shockingly an understatement.  This is a band with serious firepower and an almost
telekinetic type of chemistry that proves most impressive for a group that has been together for barely over a year.  A handful of original compositions have been in The Departed’s live set for some time now and have convincingly assured audiences that despite Canada and Plato’s distinct styles (the core of Ragweed’s sound), this band is in a league of it’s own.

I don’t normally do a track by track review, but this is no normal release, as each of the 15 tracks are worth discussing…so here we go:

1 – FACE ON MARS (Randy Crouch) – Probably the oddest track of the bunch, with a loose arrangement underneath a heavily syncopated vocal line (oddly doubled by piano and bass) its a fun track full of twists and turns.  When the chorus finally hits,  the tempo and feel change dramatically and soon after you’re hit by a gloriously psychedelic middle section that wouldn’t have sounded out of place on Floyd’s “Dark Side of the Moon”.  Red Dirt?  Not quite, but it amply proves that The Departed will not bend to fit into any specific genre.  Instead, they throw caution to the wind and bend the genre to fit them.

2 – BALLAD OF ROSALIE (Randy Pease) – Great storytelling abounds on this cut.  A captivating tale of love found and love lost, not of a man and woman, but a man and his guitar.  Infectiously hooky and featuring some of Canada and Plato’s signature vocal harmonies, the guitar solo is one of many highlights from Seth James, whose thick and creamy tone would make Warren Haynes himself envious.  James’ blues-inflected phrases mixed with his penchant for smooth and warm fuzz tones prove to be the perfect compliment to Canada’s raw, intense style.

3 – TRUE LOVE NEVER DIES (Kevin Welch) – The first of 2 Kevin Welch songs, “True Love” sounds like the bastard child of Gov’t Mule and Funkadelic.  James lays down a gloriously funky riff as Littleton chimes in on a wah-wah soaked Clav for a seriously deep groove.  After another tasty solo from Seth, the extended outro proves to be another example of The Departed’s seemingly unclassifiable sound.

4 – HOME SWEET OKLAHOMA (Leon Russell) – OK, one of two tracks that should be more familiar to most, The Departed’s version stays true to the spirit of the original while sonically putting their own spin on it.  In the tradition of classic songs like Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” and  “Highway 61”, songs that became more affiliated with artists who covered them than the original writer, I do believe that this track follows that tradition as well.  Canada mindfully lets the lyrics carry the song as The Departed add significant muscle and texture not found on Russell’s version.  In short, they owned this one.

5 – MAKE YOURSELF HOME (Brad James/Bob Childers) – A beautiful bluegrass-tinged track with great dobro playing courtesy of guest Geoff Queen.  This is country music at it’s finest with subtle instrumentation and stellar 3 part vocal harmonies.  A delightfully simple song delivered with conviction and class.  One of the standouts here for sure.

6 – LONG WAY TO NOWHERE (Mike Shannon) – Bassist Jeremy Plato delivers the lead vocal on this one flanked by Seth’s wife Jessica Murray on harmony vocals and Dave Abeyta from Reckless Kelly on lead guitar.  Very reminiscent of The Eagles, it’s a welcome throwback to the classic country-rock sound of the 70’s.  By this point in, what seems to be most impressive is how The Departed use their collective experience to always serve the song and not clutter the tracks with anything that doesn’t have to be there.  All killer and no filler.

7 – STARIN’ DOWN THE SUN (Bob Childers/John Cooper/Brad Piccolo) – Another standout that sets a relaxed yet powerful mood with its haunting lyrics.  Vibe-soaked guitars conjure images of Trower and Hendrix and are accented by more stellar piano work from Littleton.  The outro features some nice twin guitar work from Canada and James showing impressive restraint from two guys with chops to spare.  Not a note is wasted.

8 – ANY OTHER WAY (Steve Littleton/Brad James) – With it’s deep pocket and Honky Tonk Funk feel, this track is in the same vein as “True Love Never Dies” albeit this time with a heavy 70’s Allman Bros. feel.  Canada lays down a fine vocal here and is clearly able to handle stepping outside his voice’s usual comfort zone.   Another extended outro lets the boys stretch out with syncopated unison funk riffs while crisp slide fills weave in and out.

9 – KICKIN’ BACK IN AMSTERDAM (Kevin Welch) – Songwriter Kevin Welch duets with Canada on his laid back tale of cross country travel.  Another sparse, calm arrangement lets the lyrics and story shine and is a nice contrast to James’ raw raunchy  fuzz licks in the instrumental bridges.  Also worth noting is the production throughout Indian Land.  While sonically well done with an even feel throughout, theres a nice variety of tones, colors, and vibes throughout making for a very fun listen.

10 – WATER YOUR OWN YARD (Charkie Christian/Greg Jacobs/Tom Skinner) – This track merits repeat listens and proves to be one of the strongest cuts on all levels.  Canada gives another stand out vocal (with buddy Stoney LaRue adding harmonies) and the effect on his voice making it sound like an old transistor radio broadcast is just too cool.   A perfect arrangement with all kinds of ear candy glazed over top.  Wah Wah guitar, organ fills, jazzy chord stabs, faint percussion ALL enhance the story of the song while never treading on the relaxed quiet dynamic the song calls for.  Impressive.

11 – YEARS IN THE MAKING (Mark Ambler/Bob Childers/Benny Craig/Scott Evans/Tom Skinner) – The dark and ominous vibe set by the lyrics is perfectly complimented with a sound drenched in textures one could only find on classic 70’s rock LP’s of days past.  James turns in what I believe to be the finest guitar lead on the disc and again the song’s arrangement is top notch.

12 – IF YOU’RE EVER IN OKLAHOMA (J.J Cale) – Cale’s cautionary tale for OK visitors is kept fairly straight forward with another nice streamlined approach.   Listening to James and Littleton trade solos on this one is a delight.

13 – A LITTLE RAIN WILL DO (Gregory Jacobs) – Simplicity is used to full effect here with Canada giving yet another standout vocal, here accompanied only by acoustic guitar and a low bell-like tone in the distance.  It’s as naked a performance as you can get, a man, his guitar, and the natural reverb of the room it was recorded in.  Inspiring.

14 – SKYLINE RADIO (Tom Skinner) – Quite possibly my favorite track on disc.   This track harkens back to the glory days of Ragweed and if cut earlier could very well have been their biggest single to date.  Infectiously hooky and filled with Cody’s trademark guitar style, this one has single written all over it.  The lyrics are positively outstanding and Canada delivers them as only he could.

15 – HOLD ON CHRISTIAN (Scott Evans) – Clocking in right at 8 1/2 minutes, the album’s closer is the perfect way to end this record.  For the life of me I can’t think of another song I’ve ever heard that even remotely resembles the sound on this track.  The guitar work here is outstanding and the feedback that swells in and out throughout the song as well as the free-form approach of the guitar arrangement is something that if carried over to The Departed’s eventual release of original material, makes this writer more than anxious to see and hear what The Departed have in store next.

“This is Indian Land” proves the value and quality of it’s songs far exceed the confines of Oklahoma soil and serves to be an outstanding introduction to The Departed’s unique sound while shining a previously unseen light on some very talented Okie songwriters.  The Departed prove here and throughout the entire disc that they have a unique mastery of musical dynamics rarely seen in this day and age.  And when coupled with the caliber of songs chosen here, the results are spectacular.  Whatever hype surrounded the band before this album’s release has now been magnified exponentially as fans (this one in particular) wait with anticipation to see, hear, and experience an album of all original material.  Until that day comes, “This is Indian Land” is a more than worthy listen and serves as a fine tribute to some unheralded greats while introducing an exceptionally talented band with a refreshingly unique sound.  Job well done.

9/10 Stars

Cody Canada & The Departed – Interview

“YEARS IN THE MAKING”

Cody Canada & The Departed test the waters with their debut album “This is Indian Land“,

a tribute to their Okie roots.

Article and Interview by:  Tango Sho’Nuff

Cross Canadian Ragweed.   You’ve either heard of them or you haven’t, not much of a middle ground.  To some, they were one of the best kept secrets in rock & roll, others hailed them as the undisputed leaders of the thriving Red Dirt Music scene, a grassroots hybrid genre of country, rock, blues, and Americana.  While never fully penetrating into the mainstream music world, Ragweed no less earned a huge, rabidly loyal following the old fashioned way…they toured their asses off and consistently delivered great records nearly every year from 1998 to 2009.  In that time frame, they sold over 1 million albums, charted 4 Top 50 singles on the US Country Charts, and did so with little to no help from major radio and TV outlets.   You could argue a half dozen points on why or why not that big commercial break never came. Maybe it was because they were on a label that insisted on marketing them as a “Country Act” (a tag the band fought tooth and nail for the better part of a decade).  Maybe their music simply went over people’s heads, mind you Ragweed were NOT a ‘singles’ band…each studio album they released was exactly that…an Album, all killer and no filler.  Anyway, whatever it may have been, it doesn’t matter…there is no more Ragweed.

Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past year, you should be aware that Cross Canadian Ragweed is no longer a band at this time.  A break from performing live was announced in May of 2010 and in the following months this turned out to be a permanent hiatus.  (for details on the demise of Ragweed please look elsewhere as there is ample documentation online via wikipedia and other fan sites)  In September 2010, holding true to frontman Cody Canada’s statement that “We’ve always said from the start, we’re Ragweed as the four of us, or not Ragweed at all.” Canada announced that He and Ragweed Bassist/Vocalist Jeremy Plato had formed a new band…The Departed.  Of course the inevitable comparisons to Ragweed began immediately and were quickly silenced with the release of “This is Indian Land”, the band’s debut album, an album that was ALMOST cut by Ragweed 5 years earlier.  Billed as an Oklahoma Tribute Album, it features NO original compositions.  Instead, the band put their collective spin on 15 cover songs, the majority of which were written by legendary Oklahoma songwriters who greatly influenced Canada and Co.  Certainly an unorthodox approach to one’s debut release, however the album succeeded in testing the band’s collective chemistry while showing Ragweed fans that The Departed were truly a completely different beast.

Aside from Cody and Jeremy’s Ragweed lineage, The Departed’s lineup could easily be deemed a “super-group” of sorts.  Drummer David Bowen has played with countless Red Dirt acts (Stoney LaRue/Bleu Edmonson) and has a mighty impressive Jazz resume as well.  Keyboardist Steve Littleton (Medicine Show) adds depth and character to the overall sound and Texas native Seth James completes the puzzle on guitar and vocals.  A mainstay on the Texas/Oklahoma circuit with a solid reputation as being equally adept at fronting a 3 piece Blues Trio as he is a singer-songwriter, (which he more than proved on his stellar 2009 release “That Kind of Man”) Seth James is the perfect complement to Canada’s raw, gutsy playing and smooth drawl vocals.  With a righteous guitar style and tone, powerhouse vocals and strong songwriting chops, James is The Departed’s “secret weapon” of sorts, a perfect foil to Canada’s larger than life personality.

BlueNote News & Reviews caught up with The Departed in late 2011 in the band’s adopted hometown of New Braunfels, TX for a co-headlining show with Reckless Kelly at the Whitewater Auditorium.  After a balls-out performance, Cody Canada and Seth James were kind enough to sit down and discuss the events that led to the band’s formation, choosing songs for their debut album, their earliest guitar influences,  and Cody Canada explains why he’s glad he waited so long to record this album.

—————————————————————————————————————————–

” Five years ago we (Ragweed) almost did this and I’m glad we didn’t….
It wouldn’t have sucked, but it wouldn’t have lived up to this.”

  – Cody Canada

BlueNote – After Ragweed’s sudden split, what events led to you and Jeremy hooking up with these guys?

Cody Canada – Seth and I had talked about doing a side project kinda record.  Not necessarily touring it or whatever but you know, just make a record.  I told him I wanted Jeremy (Plato-bass/vocals) involved, Seth had a drummer in mind, it really didn’t get any further than that, but once Ragweed split it looked like a more permanent thing.  I talked to Plato the day I got the call about Ragweed splitting up and I asked him what we were gonna do?  He said: “Were gonna go play”…so I said, “Alright, I’m gonna call Seth and talk to him about it.  And he said, “I’ll call Dave (Bowen-drums).  Simple as that (laughs).  We were prepared.

BlueNote – You’ve been wanting to do this album for a long time.  I’m sure there was a huge list of songs you wanted to cut.  How did you go about deciding which tracks made the album and were there any others recorded that didn’t make the final cut?

Cody Canada – There weren’t any that were cut that didn’t make it.  When we first started rehearsing at the warehouse there were 5 songs set in stone.  We all had our iPods out jamming the songs and stuff, but there was one tune we tried at practice that just didn’t work.  It was a Red Dirt Rangers song called “Deep Ellum Blues”.  It just came across as very “white boy blues”.  We tried to soul it up, but we couldn’t do it.

Seth James – It was very “Blues Brothers” blues (laughs).

Cody Canada – Well, all I had in my head was John Cougar singing it (laughs).  There’s plenty more songs out there that we’d love to do.  I’d like to maybe one day do another record like this, you know, not “Indian Land 2″ or anything…”This is ALSO Indian Land” (laughs)…but just maybe 5 or 6 songs somewhere down the road.

BlueNote – Typically, how long did it take to map out the song’s final arrangements and were some more difficult than others?

Seth James – A lot of them just happened by jamming and playing them over and over.  We just bashed em out and they naturally became our versions.   There were a few that were a little more stressful.  “Face on Mars” was kinda an evolution in the studio.  There were a lot of factors that went into that one.  The version we were listening to was recorded sped up so it really wasn’t in key, it was just whacked….it was awesome…but we kinda had to wrangle that song a bit.  But for the most part we just learned em and played them enough that they sound like us.

Cody Canada – There were 2 songs that changed because of Seth.  The first was “True Love Never Dies”.  When we first laid that one down it was very…”cocaine, nashville, sped up”…like, if we sped it up a little more it would’ve been bluegrass (laughs).  But one day Seth came in with that riff and Steve fell in on the Clav and it just brought that tune to life.  It wasn’t like we were just covering a song, but making it our own.  And “Face on Mars” was the other one.  We really weren’t sure about that one at first but Seth wrangled it and it turned out great.  Seth brought a lot of songs together like that.

BlueNote – After waiting this long, to have the album done and out, besides the joy you must feel knowing that your new band’s debut album has been well received…not to mention the fact that you’re benefiting your musical heroes and influences by exposing their music to a much larger fan base…how do you think the album turned out in the end?  Was it worth the wait?

Cody Canada – (laughs) I don’t mean this in any way negative towards Ragweed you know, its happy, its lovely, but…we couldn’t do these songs justice.  We were a 4 piece rock band.  And I don’t mean this in a bad way, but, Me and Jeremy were the main contributors.  Now, we have the tools to do it.  5 years ago we almost did this and I’m glad we didn’t.  It wouldn’t have sucked, but it wouldn’t have lived up to this.

BlueNote – Comparisons to Ragweed are inevitable.  With the addition of Steve (Littleton) on keys, and not to mention that you now have TWO certified bad-asses on guitar…it seems in terms of songwriting that The Departed can cover a lot more musical ground.  How has the songwriting process been so far?

Seth James – It’s going like it always goes, it’s work, but it feels more home than ever.  You know, when you get new writing partners it can always be a nerve-racking experience, but it’s not like that at all.  It’s natural, we never really sat down and talked about what direction we’re gonna go in and what not.  We’re putting the work in and it’s going great.  The songs are really coming together.

BlueNote – How much original material does The Departed have right now?

Seth James – We’ve probably got about 15 started and about 3-5 finished.  We’re still getting a feel for the process cause there’s 5 songwriters in this band, and everyone is pulling from their influences and stuff.  We’re still figuring out how to throw them all into the pot if you know what I mean.

“People expect something great from us and I was a little scared
at first about living up to that.  But after that first writing session,
I wasn’t scared at all (laughs)…I sleep good at night.”
– Cody Canada

BlueNote – Fans have been treated to one original tune already via your live shows and YouTube.  When and how did “Black Horse Mary” come about?

Cody Canada – First time we sat down to write, the seed of Black Horse Mary started.  We went up to my dirty man cave place, had a beer, smoked some weed, talked a little about the direction of the song and it just flowed.  We got to a certain point where it stalled, so…the next day we were rehearsing for an acoustic gig and we just jumped right back into it and had it finished in about 3 minutes.

BlueNote – I hear a faint Stone Temple Pilots influence in the song, was that intentional?

Cody Canada – Again, nothing against my friends in Ragweed, but it’s a different beast now.  We couldn’t pull off shit like that.  I kinda hate that so many people know what a big STP fan I am but…it’s just GOOD music.  It’s not like I’m trying to rip em off or anything, but I am influenced by them.  Hopefully people will hear the song and go…”Oh yeah, I get it.”

Seth James – You know, that music was popular when all of us were growing up.  Whether you’re a musician or not, it was everywhere.  It’s hard to have that kind of commercial success and still make great original music, and they did it.

Cody Canada – Yeah, and it’s cool because, Weiland has the DeLeo brothers, and they write all the music and then he adds the lyrics.  That seems so strange and alien to me how they do it like that.

Seth James – But you hear that collaboration in their music.  When you listen, you can tell that they all had a hand in it, which is very similar to us.  I’m not saying we’re STP (laughs) I’m just saying that’s how this band works as well.  We all have a hand in and we all contribute.

Cody Canada – I know what we are.  We’re old friends and were all musicians and were together now.  People expect something great from us and I was a little scared at first about living up to that.  But after that first writing session, I wasn’t scared at all (laughs)…I sleep good at night.

BlueNote – Ragweed were known for pulling out some pretty off the wall covers during their live shows.  From “All Along the Watchtower, to Ted Nugent’s “Stranglehold” and even Primus’s “Winona’s Big Brown Beaver”.  Tonight I watched you guys tear through the Buddy Miles/Band of Gypsys classic “Changes”…any other ideas been thrown around about songs you might add to the set at some time?

Cody Canada – I wanna do “Dust & Bones” by Guns N Roses.  I think we could kick that songs ass.  I can sing the low part and Seth can do the high part.  I think it’s right up our alley.

Seth James – We listen to so many different kinds of music.  We’ve got all these classic rock songs we wanna do.  We’ve talked about doing Mad Season tunes.  Me and Plato listen to a lot of old-school Parliament and Isley Brothers.  We’ve talked about doing stuff off “Maggot Brain”, you know, it’s all over the map.  That’s the great thing about this band, we did “Changes” tonight and probably could’ve done “Super Stupid” right after it and it fits, it doesn’t come across as weird.  At least I don’t think it does (laughs).

BlueNote – Strictly guitar speaking, who were some of your earliest influences?

Seth James – My earliest influences were guys that my Dad played with.  A guy named Bobby Mack, he was one of the many players overshadowed by Stevie Ray’s success.  A lot of blues guys, Freddie King, Lightning Hopkins, Muddy Waters…I could go on and on but yeah, mostly family and such early on.

Cody Canada – Man, first song I ever learned was “Rebel Rouser”.  I learned it on one string.  I showed a local guitar teacher in Oklahoma what I’d learned and he said “That’s cool…but you know there’s 5 other strings” (laughs).  But, Pete Anderson, he was my first big influence.  I went into a music store, bought a tuner, the first 2 Dwight Yoakam records on cassette and the books to go along with them.  Then around the time I was 16 I was big into Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray…my Mom let me stay home from school the day SRV died.  But Pete Anderson was the first.  And I always loved Billy Gibbons too.  To me, it never sounded like he was playing the guitar, it was more like he was kicking it’s ass (laughs).

Seth James – When I hear Cody play, I think of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Ted Nugent, you know, REAL rock guitar players.  There’s just not a lot of players like that nowadays.  There’s a lot of guys that play classic rock that’s kinda in that vein, but not a whole lot that are just full on rock guitar players.  To me that’s Cody’s world.

BlueNote – OK, last one.  Slick, Hoss, Biggun, Injun…how did the nicknames come about?

Seth James – (laughs all around)  I’ll go ahead and claim it, I am certified nickname giver.  You do a lot of stuff to entertain yourself out on the road (laughs).  They all mean something, but that’s a whole ‘nother interview.