Mama's Gun

On “DIG! “, the sixth studio album by British band Mamas Gun, is true alchemy at work — a rare creative brotherhood of passionate musicians with a flair for music that not only sounds timeless but also feels that way.

Andy Platts, the songwriter with the golden falsetto. Drummer Chris Boot, the backbone of the band, who delivers driving grooves with the ease of a jazz musician. Bassist Cameron Dawson, fluent and fearless, who reflects the spirit of James Jamerson but with an unmistakably melodic sound. Terry Lewis, a guitarist whose taste, feel, and expressiveness conveys an important, warm old-school authenticity. Last but not least Dave Oliver, a dynamic keyboardist whose profound command of piano, Wurlitzer and Hammond organ effortlessly blurs the lines between jazz, gospel and soul. What a sound! Authentic, organic and deeply soulful, all recorded by sound engineer and studio owner Neil Innes directly onto 16-track analog tape at All Things Analogue Studios in Leeds, UK. Andy Platts says: “For us, success doesn't mean selling millions of records, but making better records with every step we take and really connecting with people through music. ”

“DIG! “is undoubtedly a special album, not least because the band is working here with the legendary Brian Jackson, the songwriting partner of Gil Scott-Heron and companions of artists such as Roy Ayers and Earth, Wind & Fire. Particularly noteworthy is the title track “DIG! “, an outstanding jazz-funk song whose participation proves to be the absolute highlight of the band's history. “What an honor! ” Chris Boot enthuses. “Brian is a true legend and we were over the moon when we found out he was already a fan of our music. Working with people like Brian, who inspired us so much back then as young musicians, is really something special. “The themes of the songs on this album are universal: love, family, hope, redemption and — as in all great soul music — the search for comfort in difficult times. Although the arrangements and production of the album are largely distributed among the band members, Andy Platts is at the center of songwriting. His collaboration with the other band members and other musicians, such as his long-time songwriting partner Conner Reeves, provides additional musical diversity and interesting lyrics.

Terry Lewis comments: “Strong songs, rich sound, musical cohesion, great arrangements and performances. I've listened to this album more intensively than any previous album, I just don't get bored of it.” Andy Platts adds: “Music doesn't exist in a vacuum. Our goal is to use this music that we love and are so proud of to reach as many people as possible. ”