Fine on its own, but fails its promises

Press releases are prone to hyperbole, of course, but Nick Dittmeier and the Sawduster’s PR spin for Heavy Denim is misguided to the point where it feels like they shipped the wrong album. They promise new textures in the form of drum machines and synths, drawing comparisons to the likes of Alabama Shakes and Sturgill Simpson. Yet the actual product is the same dish with a marginally different garnish. There are some fun licks and solos like every Sawduster album, but it’s disappointing in the context of promo hyperbole and even its appeal gets muddled by inconsistent writing.

It’s not as if it is impossible to hear these added elements. The opening track, “I Suppose,” is full of spacey flutters and what sounds like a theremin adding to the song’s menacing air, and ending with a pretty synth tonal choice. “Hotel Pens” has some bleeping keys in the hook, “Tonya Jo” contains an undulating loop that gets old fast and the bridge of “No Turning Back” has a nice organ. There’s no reason why all of the textures could not have been relegated to pedal steel, which sounds great on “No Turning Back” and add to the dramatic finality of the lyrics and the new direction they promise. The idea of these synthetic elements is fine, but their impact is muted and could have been replaced with piano or pedal steel for the better.

The drum machines are thuddingly obvious on “You Don’t Know the Truth” with its tinny click, but it’s possible they slip into other tracks undetected because of how flat the percussion feels. Their only job is to keep the mid-tempo beat and alternate between the kick and bass drum till the end of time. Fortunately, “Doing Wrong for All the Right Reasons” picks up the tempo a little to break up the monotony and “Things are Getting Strange” gives the playing some much-needed humph. With the funky licks and pristine synth cascades, the latter is also the only moment where the Alabama Shakes comparison makes any sense.

With all these promises of new textures, the album is at its best when delivering meat and potatoes Americana and country rock with haggard vocals and strong guitar work, especially the solos on “Save Me From Myself” and “Hotel Pens.” The playing ranges from contemplative acoustics on “Free As We’d Ever Been” and lamentation on “You Don’t Know the Truth” to the sweeping, melodic power of “Doing Wrong for All the Right Reasons” and the bluesy soul of “Things Are Getting Strange.” There’s nothing matching the intensity or volume of Midwest Heart / Southern Blues, their best record, but the core musical element is still present and doing its jobs.

There are some backing vocals that don’t work, especially on “Save Me From Myself,” but on the whole Dittmeier can play the gruff, world-weary veteran and carry a good melody well. Sadly, he’s forced to carry uninspired hooks. There’s a handful of interesting turns of phrases and stories; “Hotel Pens” chronicles a creative process that only rears its head in late-night hotels that Dittmeier does not even know the location of, and “I Suppose” butchers history but uses startling imagery to illustrate moving to the big city for fame and what sacrifices it necessitates by singing “Come on Van Gogh, cut off that ear for the show.” Too many other tracks feature a lot of repetition. Dittmeier is trying his best to squeeze out every ounce of emotion even as the writing lets him down by forcing him to sing “No Turning Back” or “Free As We’d Ever Been” ad nauseam.

It’s likely the band had no hand in writing the ridiculous promo for Heavy Denim, but the half-hearted stab at experimentation fails to make an impact and chips away at the band’s strengths as well. The Sawdusters have a solid American core and strong performances that result in every album being at least decent, but they needed to double down and improve on their fundamentals or shake up the formula with a truly bold direction. Heavy Denim is the awkward compromise that tries to do both but fails at doing either.