Craig Waters & The Flood

Love & Squalor Vol. 1, the debut record from deep south soul funk outfit Craig Waters & The Flood is releasing Friday, July 15th. Frontman Craig Water’s guitar accolades speak for themselves, thrilling audiences across the Southeast, sharing bills with Marcus King Band, George Porter Jr. and Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk. But his latest project offers a vulnerable in depth look never before seen. With masterful songwriting comparable to the likes of Jason Isbell and Michael Trent (Shovels & Rope, The Films), Craig Waters dives into the challenges of his upbringing ravaged by addiction, violence, narcissism, and mental illness. However, from the depths of Love & Squalor, grows something uniquely beautiful and undeniably great. 

The opening song A Love Like You sounds like a lost Stevie Wonder track. Written in collaboration with singer Amberly Winfree, Trevor Caddell and Leland Rooney, it’s a declaration of love in its most self-confident. With a gospel inspired vocal arrangement that perfectly complements the horn parts, the album provides voracious joy before diving into the heavier subject matter. 

Contrasting the opener, the title track Love & Squalor explores the mountain of emotion to overcome when you’re “born under the gun”, a metaphor for having to be your own primary care-giver for a large part of your upbringing. The lyrics stand strong on their own, but when paired with a searing, emotive, stylistically authentic solo by guitarist Leland Rooney, the song evokes a throat-punch of emotion. In Water’s own words: “It’s pre-therapy. It’s survival mode. It’s what happens when you’re gifted with the ability to take inventory of your emotions, but taught that it’s dangerous to vocalize them.”

The third track Half Mast On Bourbon Street opens up with a beautiful Hendrix-esque intro. Each verse paints a picture of falling in love with an idolized version of someone, notably the line “my pen is dizzy from the shape of her name.” Throughout the song the plot develops into feelings of unworthiness to receive love because it was never given easily in formative years. By understanding that “you’re the brand of desperation that the bottom of the bottle knows” the protagonist feels they don’t deserve that kind of happiness, something sadly relatable in people who have early life trauma. 

The captivating final track You Don’t Know What’s Best opens with a gloriously teasing guitar melody. The opening line “I’d love to have your love back, but I don’t hold my breath” sets the scene for the gut wrenching, incredibly sung lament that follows. Water’s masterful writing toes the line between heartbreaking and demonically clever with the line: “All we have is pieces of what was, but I know you still remember how they fit”. 

You can go a lot of places for blues ballads and heavy soul, but Love & Squalor Vol. 1 offers an authentic perspective. One that until now only those lucky enough to survive these traumas were privy to. It’s chin-up, chest-out, and guts-on-the-floor vulnerability. If you’ve even felt a fraction of heartbreak or disappointment in your life, Love & Squalor Vol. 1 is a reminder that you’re not alone, and an invitation to heal. Available on all streaming platforms July 15th and for your editorial consideration today.