Melungeons cultivate the sounds of the 'Swamp'

Photo by Brad Luttrell

Rus Harper and Bill Irwin of The Melungeons

Photo by Brad Luttrell

Rus Harper and Bill Irwin of The Melungeons

KNOXVILLE — For years Rus Harper and his assembly of self-proclaimed freaks The Melungeons have been brewing a sinister backwoods blend of styles into what he describes as “primitive rock” for its many nods to rock 'n' roll’s predecessors. Though officially a band for some time, the band dropped off the radar for a year, to return playing sporadically for the past two years before releasing its debut “Blackwater Swamp” earlier this summer.

“Blackwater Swamp,” recorded at Mayhem Studios, which also serves as the group’s practice space, contains a comprehensive 14 tracks that span the band’s career as well as 5 reworked tracks from Evil Twin, a band in which included three Melungeons members.

The group points out that the debut only recently surfaced as the group has applied patient efforts to refine its earlier work and allow its newest member, drummer Kevin Trotter, to enhance the catalog rhythmically.

“A lot of our songs now don’t sound like they did when we first wrote them,” says guitarist Bill Irwin. “We give them a chance to simmer and stew a while before we go forward. I’m glad we did that (with this album). Certainly with Kevin coming on board, rhythmically, he’s added a lot. We’ll think of a new feel for this part or tweak the arrangement. It’s small stuff, but it makes a huge difference. We’ll try everything and then trim it down, pull weeds for a while.”

The tracks for “Blackwater Swamp” were recorded live with minimal use of extra tracking to give an authentic sound. Being true to its roots is a theme for the band that pays constant homage to its heritage. Melungeons take their name — with great respect — from the mysterious race of early Appalachian inhabitants. The group similarly demonstrates the influence of early regional music through dark, bluesy baselines and a heavy emphasis on harmonica riffs that occasionally border on Zydeco.

The unique mix of inspiration draws equally unusual pairings for The Melungeons’ performances, for which the group couldn’t be more grateful. While in no danger of oversaturation, the band intends to play somewhat more frequently as long as the opportunities for extraordinary and bizarre shows continue to trickle in.

“If we can find another Squidbilly character to play with,” jokes Harper of what might increase The Melungeons’ show frequency. “We played with Unknown Hinson, and Friday we’re playing with Jesco White, both of which have done voice work on The Squidbillies.

“When a cool show like this comes along, we’ll sure as hell do it. We’ll play enough to satisfy our joneses. We’ll bring in some buddies like Bohemian Groove from Johnson City we like to play with. We got to do a show not too long ago with Lonesome Wyatt from Those Poor Bastards. That dude’s inspirational in a creepy way.”

The group acknowledges that its live shows have come a long way since its beginning. Familiar with each other from shared stints in heavier acts and years in local music in general, the band may have been less familiar with the direction it has now nailed down. If The Melungeons’ enthusiasm is any indication of its potential longevity, the band’s sparse appearances should leave fans demanding more for years to come.

“I’d say the dynamics have really fleshed out,” says bassist Brad Deaton. “The intensity might have been more one level through the whole set, where now it goes up and down. We can play soft stuff and have some reserves. You can be scary and quiet at the same time.”

n Way of the Gunn: The Pilot Light hosts Steve Gunn, Villages and VN TRBL tonight. The show is slated for 10 p.m. and costs $5.

n Shack attack: Saturday night The Sugar Shack hosts a free show, featuring Bones in the Museum and The Retirement Plan. The show kicks off at 10 p.m.

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