Heavy Lifting

For the 2023 album, see Amanda Marshall. For the Carly Rae Jepsen song, see Tug of War (Carly Rae Jepsen album).

Heavy Lifting
Studio album by MC5
Released	October 18, 2024
Genre	Hard rock
Length	45:19
Label	earMUSIC
Producer	Bob Ezrin
MC5 chronology
Total Assault (2018) Heavy Lifting (2024)

Heavy Lifting is the third and final studio album by the American rock band MC5, released on October 18, 2024. ^[1] It is the band's first studio release since 1971's High Time . ^[2]

Background

In March 2022, guitarist Wayne Kramer announced that a new MC5 album would be released later in the year, along with a U.S. tour under the name We Are All MC5. ^[3] He later confirmed that the album would be released in Spring 2024. ^[4] Kramer passed away in February 2024 from pancreatic cancer, as the album was nearing completion. ^[5] Kramer enlisted a battalion of friends (including MC5 drummer Dennis Thompson) to deliver the MC5’s last album. ^{[6] [7] [8]}

Track listing

All lyrics are written by Wayne Kramer and Brad Brooks; except for "The Edge of the Switchblade", written by Wayne Kramer; "Twenty-Five Miles", written by Johnny Bristol, Harvey Fuqua, and Edwin Starr; and "Blind Eye", written by Wayne Kramer, Brad Brooks, Bob Ezrin, and Jill Sobule. ^[9]

Heavy Lifting track listing

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Heavy Lifting (feat. Tom Morello)"	3:20
2.	"Barbarians at the Gate"	4:18
3.	"Change, No Change"	4:03
4.	"The Edge of the Switchblade (feat. William DuVall & Slash)"	4:16
5.	"Black Boots (feat. Tim McIlrath)"	2:53
6.	"I Am the Fun (The Phoney)"	3:35
7.	"Twenty-Five Miles"	3:53
8.	"Because of Your Car"	3:02
9.	"Boys Who Play with Matches"	3:10
10.	"Blind Eye (feat. Dennis Thompson)"	3:16
11.	"Can’t Be Found (feat. Vernon Reid & Dennis Thompson)"	3:48
12.	"Blessed Release"	3:03
13.	"Hit It Hard (feat. Joe Berry)"	2:42

Personnel

MC5

• Wayne Kramer – performance, horn arrangements
• Brad Brooks – performance
• Don Was – performance
• Vicki Randle – performance
• Abe Laboriel Jr. – performance
• Winston A. Watson Jr. – performance
• Stevie Salas – performance

Additional contributors

• Bob Ezrin – production, mixing
• Robert Vosgien – mastering
• Dave Way – engineering
• Nicole Schmidt – engineering
• Julian Shank – engineering
• Kyle Stephens – engineering
• Luke Reynolds – engineering
• Ryan "Toby" Hyland – engineering
• Matt Binder – engineering
• Jerry Becker – vocal recording on "Barbarians at the Gate" and "Hit It Hard"
• Everett Brooks – shouting on "I Am the Fun (The Phoney)"
• Severine Brooks – shouting on "I Am the Fun (The Phoney)"
• Joe Berry – horn arrangements
• Jason Federici – photography, graphic design
• Jim Newberry – Wayne Kramer portrait photography

References

1. Deming, Mark. "Heavy Lifting – MC5". AllMusic . Retrieved October 30, 2024.
2. Gallucci, Michael. "MC5, 'Heavy Lifting': Album Review". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved October 31, 2024.
3. Minsker, Evan. "MC5 Announce First New Album in 51 Years and U.S. Tour". Pitchfork . Retrieved November 6, 2024.
4. Brannigan, Paul. ""The record is a guitar extravaganza": Heavy Liting, the first MC5 album since 1971, will feature Slash, Tom Morello, Alice In Chains' William DuVall, Vernon Reid, and more". Louder Sound. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
5. Howie, Guy. "Is the new MC5 album still happening?". Far Out . Retrieved January 18, 2025.
6. Perry, Andrew. "MC5 Heavy Lifting Review: Spirited valedictory offering from the late Wayne Kramer". Mojo . Retrieved October 31, 2024.
7. "Album Review: MC5 – Heavy Lifting". New Noise Magazine . Retrieved November 2, 2024.
8. "REVIEW: MC5 – HEAVY LIFTING". Devils Gate Music. Retrieved November 3, 2024.
9. Wray, Daniel. "'They were the real essence of rock 'n' roll': How revolutionary band MC5 soundtracked US counterculture". BBC . Retrieved November 6, 2024.

External links

• Heavy Lifting at Discogs (list of releases)