Song Premiere and Interview: The Mallett Brothers “Dogs and Horses”

The Mallett Brothers – “Dogs and Horses”

Americana Highways is hosting this premiere of the Mallett Brothers song “Dogs and Horses” from their forthcoming album Higher Up in the Hills. The album was engineered and mixed by Jonathan Wyman, recorded at Halo Studios, and mastered by Ayan Mastering.

Musicians on “Dogs and Horses” are Luke Mallett on guitar and vocals; Will Mallett on guitar, harmonica and vocals; Nick Leen on bass; Andrew Martelle on fiddle, synth and backup vocals; Brian Higgins on drums, percussion and backup vocals; and features Chuck Leavell (The Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones) on piano and organ, recorded by Rob Evans at Capricorn Studios.

Americana Highways had a chance to chat with Luke Mallett about the song. The premiere appears just beneath the interview: 

Americana Highways: Tell us what’s at the heart of “Dogs and Horses.”

Luke Mallett: “Dogs and Horses” is a love song at its roots. It’s a song about two people building a life around the things that they love and then balancing and supporting each other in those endeavors. I have always considered myself very lucky to be able to continue as a working musician, and I owe that ability in many ways to my wife, Carissa, and her career path. She runs our commercial horse farm here in Maine, where we have been living for the past 11 years. These lifestyles aren’t compatible at all. I spend half my life out on the road, and she spends 12 hours a day in the barn taking care of animals. There is a never-ending list of things to fix and take care of, and I do my best to keep up with the fencing, and the snow, and the chores, and whatever else needs to be done that week. When we had 16 yards of gravel delivered, and the tractor refused to start for me, that was where the song really started in my head. If it isn’t one thing, it’s another, but the way that we try to hold each other up is really what I was moved to write about. She’s our biggest fan. I know that while I’m gone for 5 days or even weeks, there’s a good chance something at home is going to go wrong, something is going to break, but never once has she ever made me feel like I should be doing anything other than what I love and I try to do the same. Neither of us ever wanted a boring life; we chose paths that weren’t conventional, and that’s something that we loved about each other in the first place.

AH: So on one level the song is about the horse farm? 

LM: Yes. The first verse of the song is about the farm. It’s about simple living, drawing peace from the land and the animals and the labor that comes along with it. The second verse is about being away from that all too often and how I may question why I’m out there doing what I do when there is so much to take care of back home. I’m always encouraged and supported; I feel incredibly grateful for that. We’re both just “trying to find a little bit of beauty and a little bit of peace in the simpler things” and living the life that we chose to.

AH: Who influenced you in your songwriting? 

LM: My greatest influences have always been the writers who can create characters and worlds outside of themselves. Although I pull from it, I don’t often write about personal experience. I’d rather create a story the way James McMurtry does or Drive By Truckers. Writing something so literal and personal was outside of my comfort zone, but I felt like it would be relatable to the rural way of life that Mainers are so proud of. I wanted it to be honest and real, just like the “simple” life we strive for.

Our band has always had a way of blending styles, and I felt like this song ended up sitting somewhere between Southern rock, jam, and American vibes the way that the Allman Brothers Band did. A few years ago, we were approached by PBS to take part in a show that was filmed here in Maine called “America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell.” Chuck has lent his talents to the Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, Eric Clapton, and on and on, so it was a huge honor for us. They had heard our “Falling Of The Pine” record and it fit with what they were doing, and we ended up getting to perform with Chuck on stage and appearing on an episode. Flash forward a few months, and when we were bringing this song to life in the studio, it was agreed by all of us that keys would fit the vibe really, really well, and we were actually really surprised when we reached out to Chuck, and he agreed to take part after he got back from touring with “the Boys” (The Stones). Having his piano and organ on the song brought it to a whole new place, and we’re so grateful that he was willing to be a part of it.

Thanks very much for chatting with us, Luke!  This song tackles the dichotomous nature of rural Americana life: Luke conjures up broken-down tractors and mounting gravel piles and spins them out alongside the nomadism of touring life.  The instruments build up to cascade back down over the top with violin, over and over again, and the electric guitars, piano and organ carry us there. 

Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: The Mallett Brothers Band’s Vive L’Acadie is a Poutine Gumbo

Discover more here on their website: https://www.mallettbrothersband.com/