Hi-Watter, the debut LP from Rev. Greg Spradlin and the Band of Imperials, has been waiting for us all this time, like a 100-year flood, ready to swell over the banks and drown us in its torrents of noise-damaged funk and gospel-possessed blues rumble. Swampy yet sophisticated. Greasy yet refined. Baptized in Hammond organ and rippling rock & roll guitar. Its a record that plays like a debauched Saturday-night second line before washing your tattered soul clean Sunday morning. Inspired in part by Hurricane Katrina and other acts of Godas well as the Reverends dear departed friend, legendary producer Jim Dickinson (The Rolling Stones, Aretha Franklin, Big Star, The Replacements). Hi-Watter features Los Lobos singer/guitarist David Hidalgo, Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas, bassist Davey Faragher (Cracker, John Hiatt), and late genius of the keys, Rudy Copeland (Solomon Burke, Johnny Guitar Watson).