Louisville's New Grass jam band Hot Brown Smackdown just released their new single of "fusion-grass" called "Sludge Puppy". Over the years Hot Brown Smackdown has earned a reputation for their impressive musicianship, infectious energy, and complex compositions. With a lineup consisting of Arthur Geissler on drums and vocals, Patrick Schroering on mandolin and vocals, John Blum on banjo, Ellie Ruth Miller on fiddle, Justin Cecil on bass, and Anthony Le on guitar, the band has become a fixture in the Appalachian music scene.
The new instrumental "Sludge Puppy" is complex but compelling and will keep you listening to see what twists and turns it may take with the next note. Ellie Ruth's fiddle is fire throughout the song keeping up with all the time changes of Arthur's drumming. The band is very tight in this gypsy jam.
The band says about the new song:
"Sludge Puppy" was written by our guitarist Anthony Le and first performed live by HBSD at ROMP Music Festival in the fall of 2021. We're happy to have finally gotten the chance to record it with Tom Curtis at Deadbird Studios in Louisville, KY during the fall of 2023. The song has been described as "true blue Kentucky fusion-grass," and "psychedelic jamgrass-infused prog-rock." With a bit of a Latin melodic flair and a slew of progressive time changes and transitions, we feel it's our most sophisticated instrumental offering yet. The recording features a guest percussionist, our friend Mr. Matt Robinson (Electric Garden/Big Atomic).
Catch Hot Brown Smackdown at two upcoming shows in February:
2/3 at The Burl in Lexington, KY - Moonshiner's Ball Afterglow Party w/ Hot Brown Smackdown, Blind Corn Liquor Pickers, and Solid Rockit Boosters. This is a fundraising event for the Moonshiner's Ball Music Festival.
2/16 at The Whirling Tiger in Louisville, KY - Hot Brown Smackdown w/ Restless Leg String Band.
Released on February 2, 2024 and now streaming, listen to "Sludge Puppy" below.
