Decisions, decisions. They take place in rock 'n' roll as well.

Take this past April for instance, when Warren Haynes and Allen Woody bothmade bold career decisions.

Since 1989, the pair had enjoyed a dream gig as slide guitarist/vocalist and bassist in the famed Allman Brothers Band, playing in front of sold out amphitheaters and arenas night after night. But over the past three-and-a-half years, the two have also been playing in a side project they started with drummer Matt Abts called Gov't Mule. This year, after two critically-acclaimed albums and dozens of successful live shows with their "part-time" band, Haynes and Woody left the Allmans and the Mule went full-time.

"As we saw the momentum with Gov't Mule continue to build, we had to make the decision to focus our attention on this band," says Haynes, the trio's songwriting catalyst. "We had to be fair to ourselves and to our fans and take Gov't Mule to its full potential."

According to Haynes, one of the primary reasons for their departure from the Allmans was that participation in that popular band was inhibiting the Mule's tour schedule. Since the Allmans would gig during the peak times of the year, in particular the vital summer season, it left the Mule with only the shoulder seasons. "We would fly between tours, and although this is work that we enjoy, we were missing some great playing opportunities."

Now that they are free to take advantage of these opportunities, the Mule are set to make some noise on the national scene. Last July, the band signed with Capricorn Records, and next month they're expecting to release their Capricorn debut and third album, Dose.

Fusing hard driving road house rock with blues, throwing a few jazz licks into the mix and harping back to traditional folk, Dose is an 11-song venture into the powerful heart of rock. In the song "Blind Man in the Dark," Haynes' feverish, wailing guitar, Woody's walking, thick bass and Abts' pounding away at drums, walloping the listener with the utter abandon. "Thorazine Shuffle" showcases the group's more subtle, bluesy tendencies, as does the sometimes swinging, sometimes plodding instrumental "Birth of the Mule." The band can slip into a mournful anthem like "Towering Fool," or sound like Chris Cornell should step in vocals like on "Larger Than Life."

As a trio, Gov't Mule is unique in the style of music they produce. Instead of soulless alterna-pop or ear-blistering punk, the Mule opts for a sonic boom more typical of a four- or five-piece ensemble. "You have to find the right cats to make this music, especially music as adventurous as this," Haynes explains.

In recording Dose, as with the other albums, all tracks were recorded live. "We try to capture the energy of our live show," Haynes says, referring to their standard two-and-a-half hour sweat and soul Gov't Mule set.

So, do you think that you're ready yet for your dose of the Mule?

JASON KORANSKY