The Revivalists: Men Amongst Mountains

Lee Zimmerman on October 7, 2015

It seems that The Revivalists aspire to be all bands to all fans. Though they outwardly appear like a swampy ensemble from New Orleans, the seven-piece outfit purvey a rootsy sound with all the natural zest their area of origin typically inspires. Not surprisingly then, their proficiency for rock, soul and R&B spans the usual racial parameters, without leaving any touchstones unturned when it comes to traversing a wide divide. Nevertheless, while its lofty title seems to suggest some sort of overarching ambitions, the music embodied in Men Amongst Mountains —The Revivalists’ third effort in seven years—maintains an unassuming, down-home perspective that is neither pretentious nor pandering. Gritty shit-kicking rockers like “Keep Going” and “Wish I Knew You” find equal footing with the funk-fueled rallying cry of “Stand Up” and the soulful balladry that underscores “Fade Away.” Indeed, in light of the nation’s recent racial umbrage, America’s citizenry could take a lesson from The Revivalists’ ability to blur the boundaries. “They say every man is a king, a king of what?” singer David Shaw suggests on “King Of What,” implying that worldly concerns put everyone on the same plain. On Men Amongst Mountains, those lofty ideals etch the bottom line.

Artist: The Revivalists
Album: Men Amongst Mountains
Label: Wind-Up