Sacramento, California’s Bad Mother Nature is a four-piece Rock band, with an emphasis on the Rock. The group consists of Axel Ahrens on guitar, Corey Allred on bass, pianist and singer Ryan Allred, and drummer Jon McCann. They’ve been doing their thing in the Sunshine State for the past four years. Or in their words, “grinding away in California’s clubs and dive bars, honing their sound by refining a balance between their driving guitar-riffs and nuanced, progressive piano.”
The fruit of the band’s labors is a tight and powerful groove with a bluesy vibe and soulful vocals. On their latest single, “Follyman” all of these elements are on full display. The tune rides on a funky beat and a low, crunchy Classic Rock inspired guitar riff.
There is a bit of a Deep Purple feel to the arrangement that I really dig. Fortunately however, Ryan Allred’s blues-tinged rasp is more grounded than Ian Gillan’s stratospheric wailing. It is a great sound, equally at home on stage at a whiskey bar or college campus.
Lyrically the track examines a rich, powerful and foolish “Follyman,” who lies to the populace and perpetuates social-economic disparity. Allred sings, “When they try to tell him he should just listen, the folly man speaks.” You can infer for yourself who may be the subject of the song, but I think I have a pretty good idea.
In the song’s video, the members of Bad Mother Nature wander through the streets of their hometown, playing makeshift instruments. They look like homeless gypsy minstrels singing, “There’s a cold wind been blowing, but it ain’t cold if you are rich.” The video ends as the band members smash their cigar box guitar, washboard bass and tin can drums in a bit of back-alley Rock and Roll defiance.
“Follyman,” is the first in a string of singles to be released leading up to a brand new full-length LP in the summer of 2020. Check the video out here, and follow the links below to connect with Bad Mother Nature.