The Devil Makes Three are in Belgium and The Netherlands this month
12-09-2018The power of words isn’t lost on longstanding Americana triumvirate The Devil Makes Three - Pete Bernhard, Lucia Turino and Cooper McBean. For as much as they remain rooted in troubadour traditions of wandering folk, Delta blues, whiskey-soaked ragtime, and reckless rock & roll, the band nods to the revolutionary unrest of author James Baldwin, the no-holds barred disillusionment of Ernest Hemingway, and Southern Gothic malaise of Flannery O’Connor.
In that respect, their sixth full-length and first of original material since 2013, Chains Are Broken (out on New West Records), resembles a dusty leather bound book of short stories from some bygone era.
As the band began writing ideas for Chains Are Broken, they veered off the proverbial path creatively. Instead of their typical revolving cast of collaborators, The Devil Makes Three stuck to its signature power trio - with one addition. This time, they invited touring drummer Stefan Amidon to power the bulk of the percussion. The presence of a drummer remains most amplified as the band seamlessly translated the spirit of the live show into a studio recording and busted the rules even more. And for the first time, they retreated to Sonic Ranch Studios in El Paso, TX a stone’s throw from the Mexican border to record with producer Ted Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Dropkick Murphys).
A European tour on the release follows this month, including one Belgian and two Dutch performances:
16/09: Oostende (B) @ Leffingeleuren Festival
22/09: Amsterdam (NL) @ Melkweg
23/09: Groningen (NL) @ De Oosterpoort