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REVIEWS

The Rock House All Stars —Let It Bleed Revisited: An Ovation
From Nashville—Qualified Records QR 20223 Distrokid

Rock House All Stars are John Heithaus; Bass, Kevin McKendree;
Keyboards, Guitars, Backing Vocals, Percussion, Yates McKendree;
Drums, Rob McNelley; Acoustic and Electric Guitars. Together with
guest vocalists; (Jimmy Hall and Bekka Bramlett on ‘Gimme
Shelter’, Emil Justian on ‘Love In Vain’ and ‘Let It Bleed’, Lee Roy
Parnell on ‘Country Honk’, Seth James on ‘Live With Me’, Rick
Huckaby on ‘Midnight Rambler’, Nalani Rothrock on ‘You Got the

Silver’, Mike Farris on ‘Monkey Man’, Wendy Moten & SARACHEL
on ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’ and Lilly Hiatt and Luke
Bulla on ‘Wild Horses’) and guest musicians, (James Pennebaker; mandolin and steel guitar on
‘Love in Vain’ and ‘You Got the Silver’, Jimmy Hall; harmonica on ‘Gimme Shelter’, Andrew Carney;
french horn on ‘Can’t Always Get What You Want’, Stephen Hanner; harmonica on ‘Midnight
Rambler’, Luke Bulla; fiddle on ‘Wild Horses’ and ‘Country Honk’, Sarah and Rachel Hambridge;
backing vocals, on ‘Can’t Always Get What You Want’).

They have all assembled, to pay tribute to The Rolling Stones, by creating their own particular
version of their 1969 album ‘Let It Bleed’. Also included on the album, is their take on the number
‘Wild Horses’, from the later album ‘Sticky Fingers’. John Heithaus and Kevin Mckendree share
the producer’s chair. The album was recorded at the Rock House, Franklin, Tennessee. All the
numbers are drenched in a enticing southern drawling sound that you invariably find in genuine
Americana. The opening salvo is ‘Gimme Shelter’; the spine tingling intro is there but, seemingly,
with more expansive oomph! The screaming, demanding vocals and pounding percussion lead
into an equally rich drawling guitar and stabbing harmonica. Whilst, the gently dreamy acoustic

and slide guitars of ‘Love In Vain’ somewhat calms and soaks the senses, the slightly vague vocal
is very reminiscent of Bob Dylan. The numbers here are not note for note but, are filled with a
seriously laid back feel, especially so on ‘Country Honk’ which could easily have been recorded
by The Band. The stomping, honking saxophones marry well with the snarling guitar, pounding
piano and percussion on ‘Live With Me’. ‘Monkey Man’, juicily, slips along on a southern gothic
funk groove that rolls you along whilst, ‘You Can’t Always Get What You Want’, is a wonderful
anthem building slab of funk-filled gospel. On ‘Wild Horses’, acoustic guitar and pain filled country
slide together with lamenting vocals, pulls upon the heartstrings.

The big difference between this and the original is quite simple; here, we have splendidly
rollickingly good time, feel good music but, lacks the invitingly cold menace and English
malice-aforethought, that the original has running all the way through it.

Well worth investigation!

Brian Harman.