One Eleven Heavy – Desire Path
Beyond Beyond Is Beyond Records – Out Now
Naming a band after a plane crash is probably not a great idea. Karma can be a bitch. On the last day of recording for Everything’s Better, their debut album, bass player Dan Brown had to be hospitalized after being crushed by his own bass rig. Then on the final day of their debut tour of the east and mid-west, they were almost killed when a drunk driver rear-ended their van in Delaware. Yet, for this trans-Atlantic band Desire Path illustrates their ability to overcome and carry on.
Discovering their love of iconic jam bands like the Dead, Hot Tuna and the Allman Brothers, Englishman Nick Mitchell Maiato and American James Toth, began a transatlantic friendship before finally becoming part of a scene that includes Garcia Peoples, and Dire Wolves. The guitarists, along with pianist Hans Chew (also doubling on drums) churn out the kind of licks and music that defies simple labels.
Starting with twin leads before heading out to the stratosphere, Chickenshit admirably points out, “There’s no use crying encore when there’s no one around.” And just when it seems everything has been figured out they set their sights on a more Jorma Kaukonen-esque ending.
Swirling with possibilities, Hot Potato Soup thrives on the options that unfurl as the twin leads separate, going into uncharted waters before rejoining with Chew taking on a disarming bed of piano riffs to the piece’s conclusion. This group of forty-somethings has a wealth of music at their disposal and they are not afraid to allow their muse to lead them in unexpected directions.
Mardi Gras sounds less New Orleans than Georgia-boogie, right up to a final guitar solo that threatens to go off the rails. A tale of a pre-destined loser, James Toth elaborates, “I don’t believe for a second that this character’s ship will ever come in, his destine is in many ways already preordained. And yet he has the sincere belief that his luck will turn around if only he could get that one lucky break.”Closing the album, Three Poisons mashes up the Allmans brothers with Santana with solos shifting speakers.
Overcoming obstacles has become the hallmark of One Eleven Heavy. Despite a series of mishaps that would sink a lesser band, they seem to subscribe to the philosophy that whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. Suffice it to say that based on Desire Path they keep getting stronger and stronger.