Jimbo Mathus first came to fame as leader of the swing-revival band Squirrel Nut Zippers, but the inger/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist left his swing style behind for collaborations with artists as diverse as Andrew Bird, Elvis Costello and Buddy Guy.

And solo recordings that wear their Southern heritage proudly.

Inside his native Mississippi and throughout the South, Mathus is revered as a torchbearer for Deep South mythology and culture. Think Faulkner novels, Delta highways and “interplanetary honky-tonk” for the masses.

Last year Jimbo dropped “White Buffalo” on us – a multi-faceted album with producer/guitarist Eric “Roscoe” Ambel (the Del-Lords, Steve Earle, Bottle Rockets) capturing the soul of the HANK/KEITH/JIMI holy trinity. It was bursting with the vibe and essence of some classic American music, slathered with a custom mix of Delta bayou oils and unguents and powders, recorded with his band The Tri-State Coalition who take no prisoners on stage and display an amazing ability to turn themselves into a jukebox of the human condition.

2014 blesses us with the stick-to-your-ribs-and-brain goodness of “Dark Night Of The Soul”, a record with no throwaways or weak tracks and that is arguably the finest from Mathus’ under-heard catalog of uncompromising, rugged recordings rooted in the rustic swamp of the South.

Released on Fat Possum Records and produced by owner Bruce Watson, “Dark Night” finds Ambel paired with Telecaster ninja Matt Pierce who weave their 6-strings like a psychedelicized version of Luther and Carl Perkins, covering the spectrum from warm, pure-toned twang to gritty chug-and-crunch to tattered-speaker freakout.

Ringmaster Mathus directs keyman Eric Carlton, drummer Ryan Rogers, and bassist Mike Patton (Drive-By Truckers), adds acoustic and electric guitars, and contributes solos both soaring and swampy. Gritty rock and R&B with room for sweet pedal steel.

The Sunday Roadhouse proudly presents Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition. Hope to see you there!