NASHVILLE |
DT: JULY 13, 2017
FM: MITCH SCHNEIDER/MIKE GOWE
MSO PR ROD MELANCON
–AMERICANA ROOTS ROCK ARTIST– PARTNERS WITH YAHOO! MUSIC TO DEBUT VIDEO FOR “DWAYNE AND ME” LATEST MUSIC VIDEO FROM NEW ALBUM
‘SOUTHERN GOTHIC‘ OUT NOW VIA BLUE ELAN RECORDS  Above: ROD MELANCON; credit: Barry Grimes
Americana roots rock artist ROD MELANCON today (7/17) partnered with YAHOO! MUSIC to debut the official music video for “Dwayne and Me.” The dark and haunting song, which looks back on people who’ve gone, is one of the standout tracks off the Louisiana born-and-bred and Los Angeles-based singer and songwriter’s new album SOUTHERN GOTHIC. Click here to watch the cinematic video for “Dwayne and Me” which was shot in Kansas and directed by Christopher Good.
Since its June 16 release via Blue Elan Records, SOUTHERN GOTHIC has earned an array of accolades from the media including Rolling Stone Country which noted that “Rod Melancon sings with the cool, unhurried swagger of someone who’s grown up on Southern time. He shines a light on those geographic roots with this summer’s Southern Gothic, an album anchored in the characters, challenges and occasional chaos of the Bible Belt.” (June 19, 2017).
SOUTHERN GOTHIC marks MELANCON‘s sophomore full-length album. Heand producer Brian Whelan push the sonic soundscape and take listeners on a journey into the dark, and often twisted, night of the soul on songs like “With The Devil,” “Perry,” “Dwayne and Me,” and “Different Man,” about the psychological darkness of a returning vet. MELANCON also reflects on his past in “Promises”--“You can’t go back to promises come and gone”–and jumps headlong into the infectiously rootsy + rocking groove of “Redhead” which Sirius XM’s Outlaw Country is currently spinning.
Recorded over the course of two years, SOUTHERN GOTHIC is the restless yearning of a young, new South that has been represented by The Drive-By Truckers, Sturgill Simpson and Jason Isbell. With this new album, MELANCON takes an unflinching look inside the heart of Americana darkness as he stylistically dives deeper into the roots of his own imagination nurtured in the badlands and bayous of his home. Read a Q&A with MELANCON here:
MORE PRAISE FOR ROD MELANCON AND SOUTHERN GOTHIC:
“Part of the esteemed new southern artists collective that includes Drive-By Truckers and Jason Isbell, Rod Melancon indeed represents. His Southern Louisiana drawl is not just window dressing. He brings songs and a wealth of life lessons that are exploratory and dramatic. ‘With the Devil’ opens with a dark venture into the mind of a serial killer, ‘Different Man’ is an unapologetic anti-war anthem and ‘Lights of Carencro’ is hypnotic and spooky. The young Melancon also employs classic touchstones, with the Springsteen-meets-Exile-era Stones hybrid ‘Promises’ and the Merle Haggard-flavored ‘Outskirts of You.'”
–Eric A. Harabadian, Music Connection Magazine, July 2017
“…the dapper rocker takes a look inside the place where he grew up and puts the people and stories to music in what can be described as dark Americana and workingman’s rock and roll…the tune [‘Redhead’] brings to mind Jason Isbell at his fiery best with a dose of Jerry Lee Lewis’ rocking country swagger thrown in, making it a perfect anthem for a whiskey-soaked night on the town.”
“Rod Melancon must have spent many a twilight hour in creepy bayous, because Southern Gothic brings to life the stories of his childhood in the badlands and bayous of his home in a brilliant-albeit chilling-album. In the spirit of Sturgill Simpson and Tom Petty, Melancon rocks his way through the land and the darker spirits who inhabit it, from a fun-loving hedonist to the man who was ‘born to fight’ and die in prison, to the very Devil himself. Listening to the tales told and feeling the pulse of this album immerses the listener in the dark, and often twisted, night of the soul. The journey though the heart of darkness that is Southern Gothic may leave listeners unscathed, but not untouched.”
“…if Sturgill Simpson‘s A Sailor’s Guide to Earth was a pleasant yet surprise Grammy Album of the Year nominee, I’m gonna go way out on a limb here and say that a Southern Gothic nomination would be a no-brainer.”
“The Southern Gothic songs include the sonically heavy, dark ‘Lights of Carencro’ and ‘With the Devil’; country-rock of ‘Perry’; Rolling Stones swagger of ‘Red Head’; and Springsteen-and John Mellencamp touched ‘Promises’ and ‘Different Man.‘”
Like many songwriters, Rod Melancon (pronounced Mel-AWN-sawn) has explored identity in songs. With Southern Gothic, his third album…he finally seems comfortable with it…a dedicated fan of the Boss who performs lived-in covers of Springsteen chestnuts like ‘Highway 29,’ Melancon still reflects that influence on Southern Gothic, particularly in the ‘Glory Days’-style spirit of ‘Promises’ and saxophone (Ron Dziubla’s) squalling through the lusty ‘Red Head.’ But as he’s done onstage with guitarist Will Walden, Melancon expanded his sonic palette in the studio with savvy guitarist/producer Brian Whelan. Songs addressing addiction, violence, belief, family loyalty and loss rock with tougher conviction. He adopts his father’s point of view to recall his namesake uncle and dead cousin (‘Lights of Carencro,’ ‘Perry’) and inhabits characters to tally the costs of war (‘Different Man,’ ‘Dwayne and Me’).
“Rod Melancon, a solo artist from Wright, Louisiana, has infused local surroundings, family lore and other stories into his third album, Southern Gothic. Southern Gothic can best be described as a blend of the folk, rock and country music genres. ‘With The Devil’ as a whole might remind one of an episode of ‘Swamp Murders‘ or ‘Criminal Minds.‘ It sets an ominous tone, which in an odd way, ends up being all the more inviting…’Perry’…stayed true to the feel of Southern Gothic as a genre with the sorrowful subject matter. ‘Redhead’…was full of festive language, guitar riffs and, surprisingly, a saxophone solo.”
“His sound is reminiscent of his childhood in Louisiana-rough and edgy with a hint of Southern twang”
“From the swamps of southern Louisiana comes the return of apocalyptic folk rocker Rod Melancon. His new album, Southern Gothic reflects the same ‘Gothic Dixie Fried Trash Rock’ from his previous works…except the weight of fighting against the apostate seemed to have only gotten heavier. Its outsider music for the dying transistor radios hidden in the basements at the ends of the world…The opening track, ‘With The Devil,’ is marked by gritty realism, shocking violence, and diachronic narrative. It evokes morbid imagery as much as being a vehicle for moving heady thoughts. It’s more like a punk rock Leadbelly than Americana. Just when the tone of the album is set you wouldn’t expect a song that leaps out at you and could’ve of easily been heard on The Rolling Stones’ epic album, Exile on Main Street with the track, ‘Promises.’ There’s frantic boogie woogie piano and frenzied horns in the song, ‘Red Head’…an alchemy of all roots music, doom metal with glam-punk poetry. It sounds like voodoo, feels like redemption and puts off heat like a burning oil rig.”
“On his new album…he picks up where he left off and continues to deliver impressive material that should cement his place in the Americana community…his music memorable…Melancon is a force to be reckoned with, and should provide his label with another Grammy-nominated artist…Best tracks include ‘Perry,’ ‘Dwayne and Me,’ ‘Promises,‘ ‘Praying for Light,’ and ‘Different Man…’ This one is a no-brainer – do whatever it takes to get this album as soon as it is released. It belongs in the music library of every red-blooded American.”
 Above: album cover art for Southern Gothic credit: Barry Grimes ###
For press inquiries, contact:
MSO PR 818.380.0400 Mitch Schneider // mschneider@msopr.com Mike Gowen // mgowen@msopr.com |
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