- Bryon Harris
Sons of Levin - 'Going Down the Road Feeling Bad'
Sons of Levin are a modern jam rock band founded by brothers, Dylan and Connor Levinson. They draw their inspiration from bands such as The Band, Phish, and Grateful Dead. They are known for delivering a riveting live performance in the modern jam/rock scene. Off their latest EP, Six Foot Seven Blues, the cover “Going Down The Road Feeling Bad” is a great way to get acquainted with Sons of Levin's top-tier talent.

“Going Down the Road Feeling Bad”, also known as “Lonesome Road Blues”, is an American traditional song that has been covered by many great artists including the Grateful Dead, Woodie Guthrie, and Earl Scruggs. Sons of Levin offer up their interpretation which will have you on your feet, going down the road with them until the very last note.
Musicians on the track include: Dylan Levinson - Lead Vocals; Connor Levinson – Guitar; William Santana - Bass Guitar; Marc Polit – Drums; and Cyrus Madan – Keyboards. It was produced by Ian and engineered by Brendan Muldowney.

Sons of Levin start “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad” with its standard 12-bar blues intro. Immediately, the 8 bar guitar riff presents a very crisp rock edge while the drums and bass fit nicely into the syncopated pocket( with plenty of juice on the bass). The energy created is hot off the pavement. The band gels well together yielding an improvised sound that let’s loose, but it the same time is tight and in-the-pocket.
It’s always a sign of true musicianship when a jam band knows how to give their vocalist space to shine and they do. This is a band who puts art before ego and everyone shines. Lead Singer, Dylan Levinson, enters with a blues-rock swagger vocal-melisma reminiscent of Robert Plant before he commences the first verse. Throughout, Dylan presents a clear vocal tone with great artistic articulation and expression, as well as a certain confidence that is heard perfectly in the mix. “I’m going down the road feeling bad, don’t wanna be treated this way.”
As the verses commence, the bands settles into a nice groove, never letting go of the undertow of energy running through the veins of the song. Instrumental interludes between verses showcase the bands masterly craftsmanship. Keyboards take center stage with smooth fingering and a classic rock vibe that adds an excellent change-up to the texture. Next up, tasteful guitar solos showcase rhythmic tapestries with engaging guitar work. Switching to a guitar-muted groove, the song is a great mix or classic rock and blues. Check out their outstanding performance:
Sons of Levin's rendition of “Going Down the Road Feeling Bad” is alive with enough energy, vocal swagger, musicianship, groove and feel-good-vibes to drive past the "feeling bad" part straight to the feeling really good part; you will either sing-along, dance along, or enjoy the sound as if you are at a live concert in your own living room.
For more information on Sons of Levin, please visit their website.
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