
I Wanna Go Back to Detroit City
LIMITED EDITION Deluxe LP is on 180-gram vinyl and includes digital download card.
A psychedelic soul mantra. Taken as a meditation, it stabilizes and focuses. There might be roaches in the kitchen, but there’s roaches in the ashtray, too.
At 80 years old, Andre “Mr. Rhythm” Williams has been a singer, writer, producer, star-maker, showman, cult-hero and hustler for six decades. He’s been high, and he’s been low. He’s toured the world in snazzy suits and lived on the streets, asking for change.
For I Wanna Go Back To Detroit City, his fifth album for Bloodshot, he wanted to return to his adopted hometown – a town that’s seen peaks and valleys just like Andre.
Now, the rollercoaster journey finally brings him back around to his musical birthplace. While recording the title track, Andre noticed they were practically across the street from the former location of Fortune Records, now an empty field, where many of his early classics were recorded. The song starts with Andre’s knowing, sly chuckle and kicks into a psychedelic soul mantra. Taken as a meditation, it stabilizes and focuses. There might be roaches in the kitchen, but there’s roaches in the ashtray, too.
Andre also wanted to see his house in the old neighborhood, and, again, found only a field with overgrown grass, no houses, no people, nothing. He couldn’t imagine Detroit ending up like this so he went into the studio that day and recorded “Detroit (I’m So Glad I Stayed).” It’s an anthem of resilience, full of low-end heavy funk courtesy of guitarists Matthew Smith (Outrageous Cherry, Rodriguez) and Dan Kroha (Gories, Demolition Doll Rods) that’ll trip you back to the Mothership. “Times” is a funky, slinky, growling rumination on the rough times the city has seen, built around the rhythm section of David Shettler on drums, and the late Steve King (Eminem) on bass.
Let the sounds and vibes of I Wanna Go Back to Detroit City permeate you. Headphones, friends, headphones. Use them. Take them earbuds to the trash. Let your mind be free to wander, free to groove. Free to overcome what’s weighing you down. Go Back. With Andre.