photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

Single Review of Jeffrey Halford & the Healers: “The Devil is Our Man” (Floating Records)

You can almost hear George Thorogood’s guitar revving in the opening licks of Jeffrey Halford & the Healers‘ “The Devil is Our Man,” but there’s not really so much blues in this song as there is edgy, angry roots rock energy. And a seriously smooth groove, augmented by well-placed background vocals.

image courtesy of Miles High Productions

Lyrically, this October 8, 2020 release takes aim at a lying, cheating, serial inciter. The song opens with: “He lies, cheats, and steals. Breaks the law, then appeals. Got no shame. Law and order he proclaims. Violence he inflames. The message is fear; the message is fear.” The second verse begins, “Unleashes his slander, delusions of grandeur…” I’ll let you draw your own conclusions about the lyrics’ subject matter, supported by its release date a few weeks before the U.S. elections, not that its target was intended to be a secret.

photo courtesy of Miles High Productions

Musically, “The Devil is Our Man” is a mostly straight-ahead, raucously rocking number, proceeding at full-speed with only the rare exception, and even then only for a moment. Halford’s lead vocals have a sharp, gravelly edge that cuts through the song’s music bed. Still, though, there are also some nice guitar runs and what sounds like the occasional impressive organ work. It’s a really fun listen, a song to crank up to 11 while rocketing down the road with the windows open or the top down.

Looking Ahead

Though the last show currently listed on the “Events” tab of Jeffrey Halford & the Healers’ Facebook page is January 11, 2020, keep an eye out here for future performances.