When his 1990 debut Smoke Em If You Got Em arrived on Sub Pop records, Jim “The Reverend Horton Heat” Heath forged an unlikely audience comprised of tat-sleeved rockabilly fans, people on the front guard of the nascent swing revival, and fans of heavy rock. The tours for the subsequent Full Custom Gospel and Liquor in the Front cemented Heat’s rep for amazing live shows, and he’s been a favorite racket-kicker-upper of the pomade brigade ever since. He functions as a kind of mischievous evil twin to Brian Setzer—like the ex-Stray Cat, Heat draws inspiration from rockabilly, country, surf-rock, and the swing/big-band era, but he’s decidedly and unapologetically less NPR-friendly about it, preferring a raucous, humorous presentation that’s derived as much from punk as honky-tonk. Heat rocks out hard, and is just a metric shitload of fun.
 

 
Heat’s new LP, REV, was released in January to become his highest charting release yet in 25 years, and has been getting generally favorable press, including from Dangerous Minds. His latest video from the album is “Mad Mad Heart,” and we’re pleased to be the first to show it to you.