Yep Roc Signs Reverend Horton Heat

Returning to his roots in the Deep Ellum section of Dallas, Jim Heath (aka the Reverend Horton Heat), Jimbo Wallace and Scott Churilla have recorded a new album at Last Beat Studio, only a block from where they played their first show back in the mid-'80s. Titled Revival, the album’s 15 tracks were produced by Heath along with engineer Dave Allen, who doubles as the trio’s live soundman. There will be a bonus DVD included in the album's first pressing that features live performance footage of the group as well as an interview/walking tour of the Deep Ellum area, “Roots of the Rev,” featuring Heath as he talks about his old stomping grounds and early shows. The session also reunited the band with producer/engineer Ed Stasium, who was brought on board to mix the album.

Revival, the trio’s first release for new label Yep Roc Records, is a return to Heath's roots, both musically and geographically.

"I got this lick called the 'hurricane,'" he said, "and I call back on the hurricane on this album for the sake of keeping things really rockin'."

Lyrically, the album’s themes run “from death to silliness,” said Heath, who lost his mother earlier this year (the track "Someone in Heaven" is written for her). "Indigo Friends" deals with a friend's heroin addiction, while "Calling in Twisted" is about calling in sick to work and “using the fake cough.”

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