The Relatives’ debut album on Yep Roc Records, The Electric Word, is now available for pre-order via the Yep Roc Store.  Every pre-order of the LP or CD will receive a free church fan by street date to help cool you down after an album full of “sweat, grit, and a righteous musicality” as the Austin Chronicle calls it.

Formed in 1970 by Dallas gospel singer Rev. Gean West and his brother Rev. Tommie West, The Relatives bridge the gap between traditional gospel, soul and psychedelia with gritty songs that confront heavy issues like war, addiction and inequality. After more than forty years, they’re finally set to release their debut album The Electric Word on February 19, 2013 via Yep Roc Records. Produced in Austin by Jim Eno of Spoon, with backing from former Black Joe Lewis guitarist Zach Ernst and others, The Electric Word features 10 all-new recordings with fervent titles like “Bad Trip” and “Speak to Me (What’s Wrong With America?).”

You can also pre-order The Electric Word HERE on iTunes.

The West brothers are Dallas gospel royalty, having shared billing with The Staple Singers, The Mighty Clouds of Joy, and The Five Blind Boys of Mississippi, among others. In the 1970s, they developed a sound that was informed equally by those artists and Jimi Hendrix and James Brown. The Relatives released a handful of singles locally and spent much of that decade playing clubs, hotels and auditoriums in the north Texas region.

The Relatives will tour extensively in 2013, including performances at SXSW and more.  Listen to The Relatives song “Bad Trip” and watch the video for “We Need Love” in the players below.