News from the Neal Casal Foundation back in June and the couple of tracks our editor chose over the summer got me reminiscing once again back to 2014, when Casal, as a founding member of the Hard Working Americans, released their self-titled album. This was my introduction to Neal Casal. I played the album a lot and have been doing so again this summer. Under scrutiny, I don’t think my vinyl would be highly graded on Discogs. I remember reading somewhere that the band eventually regretted the logic of choosing eleven cover songs when it came to the royalties.
Out of all the tracks chosen, my favourite was their cover of Hayes Carll’s ‘Stomp and Holler’. Forgive me Hayes but the original version on your 2010 album “KMAG YOYO” is just alright. Still, great lyrics. Carll has posted an interesting YouTube clip explaining the origins of the song and how the lines developed. I kind of prefer the likes of his more recent album “You Get it All” especially the track ‘She’ll Come Back to Me’. His new album is good too. Anyway, in the hands of Todd Snider, Casal, bassist Dave Schools, Chad Staehly on keyboards and Duane Trucks on drums, their version of ‘Stomp and Holler’ makes you want to do just that. Casal does what he does best. It includes an insane harmonica instrumental, played by John Popper, so frenetic that it sounded like Snider almost swallowed the instrument near the end.
I adored Zephania Ohora’s 2017 album “This Highway”. Neal Casal remained there or thereabouts for me, as he was involved in Ohora’s next album “Listening To The Music”. It got delayed, as the respected guitarist, songwriter, photographer and producer passed away in 2019, soon after completing the project. Ohora continues to support the Neal Casal Music Foundation with some proceeds from his music, an organisation dedicated to providing musical instruments, lessons, and mental health support to musicians.
Back to ‘Stomp and Holler’. Carll’s line about James Brown is just wonderful. Like Warren Zevon’s song ‘Play it All Night Long’ covered so brilliantly by the Drive by Truckers, it’s one for that playlist… for those of us who maybe can’t recall a few years but want to keep rattling those cages and continue sticking two fingers up to fate. And remember, always turn right running from a guitar store.
