The Tel-Star Sessions

Last updated

The Tel-Star Sessions
Gov't Mule - The Tel-Star Sessions.png
Demo album by
ReleasedAugust 5, 2016 (2016-08-05)
Recorded1994
StudioTel-Star, Bradenton, Florida
Genre Blues rock [1]
Length61:20
Label Evil Teen
Gov't Mule chronology
Stoned Side of the Mule Vol. 1 & 2
(2015)
The Tel-Star Sessions
(2016)
Revolution Come...Revolution Go
(2017)

The Tel-Star Sessions is a demo album by American band Gov't Mule, released on August 5, 2016, through Evil Teen Records. It includes their 1994 demos recorded at Tel-Star Studios in Bradenton, Florida, with Bud Snyder serving as engineer. Seven of the 10 tracks were re-recorded for the band's debut album, 1995's Gov't Mule . [1]

Contents

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [1]
PopMatters 7/10 [2]

Thom Jurek of AllMusic wrote that the recordings "represent what [Gov't Mule] single-handedly pulled off in grand style from the very beginning: Reinvigorating the classic blues-rock power trio à la Cream, Mountain, Hot Tuna, ZZ Top, and Taste". Jurek also called it a "stunning tribute to [Allen] Woody's genius" and "among Gov't Mule's most essential recorded documents. The power and musicality on display here rival anything they've released." [1] A staff reviewer at PopMatters called the album a demonstration that Gov't Mule "arrived with the passion and fire that would characterize the group's style and sound for 20 years to come" and superior to the recordings on the band's 1995 debut as well as "many subsequent Mule releases" as they have "neither the innocence nor energy heard here". [2]

Track listing

The Tel-Star Sessions track listing
No.TitleLength
1."Blind Man in the Dark"6:49
2."Rocking Horse"4:31
3."Monkey Hill"4:31
4."Mr. Big" (cover of Free)6:17
5."The Same Thing" (cover of Willie Dixon)7:13
6."Mother Earth" (cover of Memphis Slim)7:00
7."Just Got Paid" (cover of ZZ Top)4:22
8."Left Coast Groovies"6:39
9."World of Difference"7:17
10."World of Difference" (alternative version/original mix)6:41
Total length:61:20

Charts

Chart performance for The Tel-Star Sessions
Chart (2016)Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [3] 28
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [4] 91
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [5] 93
French Albums (SNEP) [6] 145
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [7] 24
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [8] 35
US Billboard 200 [9] 104
US Independent Albums (Billboard) [10] 6
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard) [11] 11
US Top Tastemaker Albums (Billboard) [12] 3

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gov't Mule</span> American southern rock jam band

Gov't Mule is an American Southern rock jam band, formed in 1994 as a side project of the Allman Brothers Band by guitarist Warren Haynes and bassist Allen Woody. Fans often refer to Gov't Mule simply as Mule.

<i>With the Lights Out</i> 2004 compilation box set by Nirvana

With the Lights Out is a box set by the American rock band Nirvana, released on November 23, 2004. It contains three CDs and one DVD of previously rare or unreleased material, including B-sides, demos, and rehearsal and live recordings. The title comes from the lyrics of Nirvana's 1991 single "Smells Like Teen Spirit".

<i>Saturday Night Wrist</i> 2006 studio album by Deftones

Saturday Night Wrist is the fifth studio album by the American alternative metal band Deftones, released on October 31, 2006, by Maverick Records. Despite early contributions that were later scrapped, it marked the departure of Terry Date, who had produced the band's first four albums. It was also the last Deftones album with bassist Chi Cheng, as well as the last album of his career and his lifetime, prior to being involved in a serious car accident in 2008, which put him in a coma. He eventually died five years later from cardiac arrest.

<i>Good to Be Bad</i> 2008 studio album by Whitesnake

Good to Be Bad is the tenth studio album by British hard rock band Whitesnake, released on 18 April 2008 in Germany, 21 April 2008 in Europe and 22 April in North America by SPV/Steamhammer. It was the band's first album of new studio material in a decade, since 1997's Restless Heart, not including the four new tracks recorded for the 2006 live album Live: In the Shadow of the Blues. The album was the very first collaboration between lead vocalist David Coverdale and guitarist Doug Aldrich. The album charted at number 62 on the Billboard 200 chart, number 8 on the Top Independent albums chart, number 23 on the Canadian Albums Chart and number 7 on the UK Albums Chart. As of sales in March 2011, the album sold over 700,000 copies worldwide, considered as unexpected as an independent label release.

<i>Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa</i> 2010 studio album by Cradle of Filth

Darkly, Darkly, Venus Aversa is the ninth studio album by English extreme metal band Cradle of Filth. It was released on 1 November 2010 by record label Peaceville and is a concept album centred on the demon Lilith. It is Cradle of Filth's only album to feature keyboardist Ashley Ellyllon, and is also the band's final album with Dave Pybus as their bass player and James McIlroy as their second guitar player.

<i>Made Up Mind</i> 2013 studio album by Tedeschi Trucks Band

Made Up Mind is the second studio album from blues-rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band. It was released August 20, 2013 by Masterworks Records.

<i>Shout!</i> (Govt Mule album) 2013 studio album by Govt Mule

Shout! is the tenth studio album by American rock band Gov't Mule. The album was released on September 24, 2013. The album is in a two-CD format. The first CD contains songs with Gov't Mule's Warren Haynes as vocalist. The second disc contains the same songs in a slightly different order, each track featuring a different guest vocalist. The album features guest appearances from Ben Harper, Elvis Costello, Dr. John, Jim James, Grace Potter, Toots Hibbert, Glenn Hughes, Ty Taylor, Dave Matthews, Myles Kennedy, and Steve Winwood.

<i>Sco-Mule</i> 2015 live album by Govt Mule featuring John Scofield

Sco-Mule is a live album by the American rock band Gov't Mule, recorded at two 1999 shows in Atlanta, Georgia. It features the band's original members: guitarist Warren Haynes, bass guitarist Allen Woody, and drummer Matt Abts, along with jazz guitarist John Scofield and keyboardist Dan Matrazzo.

<i>Victorious</i> (Wolfmother album) 2016 studio album by Wolfmother

Victorious is the fourth studio album by Australian hard rock band Wolfmother. Recorded at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood, California with producer Brendan O'Brien, it was released on 19 February 2016 by Universal Music Enterprises. The album was preceded by the release of the title track "Victorious" as a single, which reached number 26 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.

<i>Let Me Get By</i> 2016 studio album by Tedeschi Trucks Band

Let Me Get By is the third studio album from blues-rock group Tedeschi Trucks Band, released in 2016.

<i>The Fall of Hearts</i> 2016 studio album by Katatonia

The Fall of Hearts is the tenth studio album by Swedish heavy metal band Katatonia. It was released on 20 May 2016. The album, mostly written and produced by founding members Jonas Renkse and Anders Nyström, was the first to also feature new members Daniel Moilanen and Roger Öjersson. The album moved in a more progressive direction than prior albums, and was generally well received by critics. Two singles were released in promotion of the album, "Old Heart Falls", and "Serein".

<i>Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie</i> 2017 studio album by Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie

Lindsey Buckingham Christine McVie is a studio album by Fleetwood Mac vocalists Lindsey Buckingham and Christine McVie, released on June 9, 2017. Four of the five "classic members" of Fleetwood Mac are featured on the album; vocalist Stevie Nicks is the sole member absent. The album sold over 22,000 units in the United States in its first week and debuted within the top 20. It proved to be even more successful in the United Kingdom, where it debuted at No. 5. In November 2017, the album was also certified silver with sales exceeding 60,000 units.

<i>Emperor of Sand</i> 2017 studio album by Mastodon

Emperor of Sand is the seventh studio album by American heavy metal band Mastodon. It was released on March 31, 2017 through record label Reprise Records. The album's first single, "Show Yourself", peaked at number 4 on the US Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart in 2017. The second single, "Steambreather", peaked at number 18 on the same chart. It was ranked on several year-end lists, including at number three on The Independent's "Top 20 Rock & Metal Albums of 2017".

<i>Dark Side of the Mule</i> 2014 live album by Govt Mule

Dark Side of the Mule is a live album by Gov't Mule composed of covers of Pink Floyd songs. The album was recorded in 2008 during a three-hour gig at Boston's Orpheum Theatre on Halloween night. The title is a pun on The Dark Side of the Moon, the 1973 Pink Floyd album. One of the background singers, Durga McBroom, also toured with Pink Floyd and appears on their two most recent albums.

<i>Revolution Come...Revolution Go</i> 2017 studio album by Govt Mule

Revolution Come...Revolution Go is the eleventh studio album by Southern rock jam band Gov't Mule, released on June 9, 2017.

<i>Prequelle</i> 2018 studio album by Ghost

Prequelle is the fourth studio album by the Swedish rock band Ghost. It was released on 1 June 2018 and produced by Tom Dalgety. The album's first single, "Rats", was released ahead of the album on 13 April, and as of 28 July, had peaked at number one for seven weeks on the Billboard Mainstream Rock Songs chart. The second single, "Dance Macabre", later topped the same chart for two weeks as well. The album marked the band's strongest selling debut to date, landing at number 3 on the Billboard 200, selling 66,000 copies in its first week, with 61,000 of those being "traditional" album sales. The album's themes include medieval times and the Black Death, along with more contemporary subject matter.

<i>Heavy Load Blues</i> 2021 studio album by Govt Mule

Heavy Load Blues the twelfth studio album is by American band Gov't Mule. It was released on November 12, 2021 by Fantasy Records.

<i>Peace... Like a River</i> 2023 studio album by Govt Mule

Peace... Like a River is the thirteenth studio album by American rock band Gov't Mule, released through Fantasy Records on June 16, 2023.

<i>Dub Side of the Mule</i> 2015 live album by Govt Mule

Dub Side of the Mule is a live album by American band Gov't Mule, released on April 4, 2015, through Mascot Label Group in Europe and Evil Teen Records in the US. It was recorded on December 31, 2006, at the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The album was released in a 12-track standard edition and a 34-track deluxe edition, with the standard edition featuring a reggae set led by Jamaican singer Toots Hibbert singing his own songs as well as several covers, including a version of Radiohead's "Let Down" and Gov't Mule's "Soulshine".

<i>Bring On the Music: Live at the Capitol Theatre</i> 2019 live album by Govt Mule

Bring On the Music: Live at the Capitol Theatre is a live album by American band Gov't Mule, released on June 28, 2019, through Mascot Label Group in Europe and Evil Teen Records in the US. It was recorded on April 27 and 28, 2018, at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, New York, with its release accompanied by a concert film directed by Danny Clinch. The album was released in a variety of editions, including a standard edition with 21 tracks, as well as a separate double CD and DVD set that includes a different set list.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 Jurek, Thom. "Gov't Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions Album Review". AllMusic . Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  2. 1 2 "Gov't Mule: The Tel-Star Sessions". PopMatters . August 2, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  3. "Austriancharts.at – Gov't Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  4. "Ultratop.be – Gov't Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  5. "Dutchcharts.nl – Gov't Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  6. "Lescharts.com – Gov't Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  7. "Offiziellecharts.de – Gov't Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  8. "Swisscharts.com – Gov't Mule – The Tel-Star Sessions". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  9. "Gov't Mule Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  10. "Gov't Mule Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  11. "Gov't Mule Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  12. "Gov't Mule Chart History (Top Tastemaker Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2023.