Hot Chicken Wisdom: Rich Mahan’s Second album Hot Off the Nashville Grill
There’s a thing about “comedy music” that reminds me of the great Sir Isaac Asimov, the prolific author and scientist. In addition to his books on science, fantasy, mystery, and science fiction, he also penned three books full of lecherous limericks. In each of the three volumes, Asimov was careful to explain that a limerick of this sort must be vulgar but that it must be more clever than it is vulgar.
So it goes with successful comedy music. It must certainly be amusing if not uproariously funny, but it will fall flat if the music doesn’t also entertain. Rich Mahan understands this concept perfectly. His second album, Hot Chicken Wisdom, was released in June and is the perfect follow-up to his 2012 debut Blame Bobby Bare, the one with such memorable titles as “Overserved in Alabam” and “Mama Found My Bong.”
Chances are you haven’t heard of Mahan before. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, here is this guy with an album at the top of the Relix radio charts. So we thought we’d take a dive into his new album. Mahan works out of Nashville, and the liner notes are slammed with talent spilling out everywhere. Importantly, the album pays homage to his most influential mentor, the late Brian ‘Brain’ Harrison. In the liner notes, Mahan explains:
Brian Harrison was the first person I met after moving to Nashville who made me feel like I could fit in here. He had mastered the ‘Everyday is Saturday’ routine, and he introduced me to the finer things Music City had to offer, including how to enjoy a 40 at Prince’s Hot Chicken Shack and where to get empanadas down Nolensville Pike after hitting the used music stores.
We recorded my album Blame Bobby Bare over at his studio, the Rendering Plant, and we were getting ready to start on its follow-up when he unexpectedly passed from a heart attack. It put everyone in his orbit into a tailspin, and for me the recording process took a back seat to playing live until the desire to complete these recordings had healed.
In my mind, the songs on this album are all connected to Brain in some way; some were songs of mine that made him laugh or were written after hearing one of his spit-take-worthy stories. His one-of-a-kind vernacular, his colorful phrases, and his take on life and how to live it are all here in these songs. Brain had Hot Chicken Wisdom.”
Mahan’s lyrical abilities span the wide gap between riotously amusing and practically perverse with plenty of room for real sentiment as well.
“Boots Off” reminds his would-be partner that “I would only take my boots off for you,” but that’s only after the country rock song makes clear this point:
If you let a fox in the henhouse, baby,
There’s gonna be feathers everywhere.
Well, she was warned. He even admits, “I’ve never kept a dollar past sunset.” Mahan handles all the electric guitar work (with one exception), and Eric Stroud (drums, percussion) and Chelvis Childers (bass) each play on seven of the eleven tracks on the album.
There is a distinct bounce to “Daydrinking,” appropriately. Mahan rips on guitar. He points out that:
We started off with tall boys at 9 a.m.
We moved to margaritas by half past ten.
It’s likely you’ll laugh until you cry with “Tick on My Taint” (unless perhaps you can relate). This is a bouncy country pop tune with some unforgettable images created:
I got a tick on my taint. Sounds funny but it ain’t.
That little sucker’s vampire-feeding off my DNA!
“I Smoke Pot” begins softly with acoustic guitar but then twists into a country ballad about the various and sundry vices the storyteller indulges, with this admission: “I’d be surprised to find out about something I didn’t do.” This is the first song to feature a backing vocal chorus (including David Gans).
Time to get down and dirty with “Hot Chicken & an Ice-Cold 40.” Country blues pour out featuring P.T. Gazell on harmonica, talking about where such prized items can be found: “We’re movin’ to the suicide-part-of-town zip code.”
“Stoned as a Roman Slave” was one of Brain’s go-to phrases, and this short tune just provides a vamp with a lovely gospel chorus piled on top, highlighted by David Ralston’s dobro.
“Hippie in the City” is self-explanatory, coming to grips with the urban scene. This is a straight-up country dance tune, and it’s the second one featuring fine backing vocals from Bekka Bramlett (also in the aforementioned gospel chorus). Gazell also returns for this one.
The Robert Hunter/Jerry Garcia composition “Loose Lucy” (of Grateful Dead fame) was the last song recorded at the Rendering Plant before Brain passed. This is a faithful reading of the tune, including some fine steel guitar work from Robby Turner. With Hunter’s recent passing, this song becomes even more meaningful, and of course the humor inherent in the song is squarely in Mahan’s wheelhouse.
“To Love Somebody” reminds you of Joe Cocker working in front of a band and chorus; it’s a country-tinged version of the song by the Brothers Gibb, with Ralston on dobro and Ditch Kurtz on pedal steel.
You can grab a delicious cup of sentimentality with “Coffee in the Morning” and “tea in the afternoon.” Gazell is back again on harmonica as the tune bounces along languidly.
The album closes with a lovely take on the Chuck Prophet song “Open Up Your Heart,” and we are treated to some lovely singing from Mahan, Bramlett, and Rian Greene, who also adds acoustic guitar here.
Mahan manages to stuff all of that into 34 minutes and a little CD box, but it explodes like a can of fake snakes every time you open it, creating joy, laughter, and one darn good time.
Look for our interview with Rich Mahan shortly!
RICH MAHAN
Website
Facebook
Twitter
