About 30 minutes ago, Mama’s Love met with John Keane at his Athens studio about producing their sophomore album.
The Classic City jam-band’s previous material includes percussion rave-ups (“Faces on Fire”) and Widespread Panic stunt-doubles (“Wake Up Woes”). Their ode to a fictitious bluesman, “Long Willie Jackson,” sounds like a Steely Dan re-write of “The Ballad of Curtis Lowe.”
Mama’s Love had wanted to work with Tom Tapley again. He produced their self-titled 2010 EP at Southern Tracks Studio. The Atlanta facility’s past clients include Bruce Springsteen and Pearl Jam, with Tapley working as an assistant engineer for producer-to-the-stars Brendan O’Brien on those sessions.
“Walking in there, it’s a hallway of platinum and gold records,” singer/guitarist Thomas Galloway, 23, says of Southern Tracks. “It definitely sets the tone right when you walk in. I’m sure a bunch of the vocals were done in the same room as the Boss’.”
Mama’s Love also includes William Boyd (keyboards), Whit Murray (guitar), Bo Nicholson (bass) and Ben Torbert (drums). Since working with the band, Tapley recorded Sugarland’s 2010 No.1 LP “The Incredible Machine.” It significantly raised his profile. And his rate.
Still, Galloway notes Keane, known for his work with R.E.M., Widespread and Uncle Tupelo, “is a really good name to have on your album.”
Mama’s Love plays TK Fiddler at 9 p.m. Dec. 22. Tickets are $8 in advance or $10 day of show. For more infomation, go to www.mamaslove.net or call 864-552-1419.
