The Double Down - Live In Denver, Vol. 1

The first volume of The Double Down—Live in Denver finds the Austin roots-rock quintet The Band of Heathens performing in the land of rocky mountains and puffy vests. Recorded over a two-night residency at Cervantes’ Other Side, the band jams out extended live versions of tunes that mostly draw from 2009’s One Foot in the Ether and 2011’s Top Hat Crown & The Clapmaster’s Son. Not to be confused with the Roky Erickson song of the same name, The Band of Heathens open with the slow-burning blues-rock original “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” spanning just more than 12 minutes. They follow this up with a slight change of pace; “Golden Calf” is another simmering slice of slow, blues-flavored jam rock with Ray Manzarek–inspired keyboard parts, but this one's just four and a half minutes. The party picks up a bit with “Say,” a Black Crowes–sounding tune with softly galloping rhythms and the bright resonance of an electric-acoustic guitar contrasting the warm, tube-burning tones of an old Hammond B3 organ. “Should Have Known” closes with some Southern rock boogie.