Various Artists – Harmonica Blues Orgy (Random Chance Records).

A plethora of harmonica players are on offer here, beginning with Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith. He opens with the Little Walter song, Blues With A Feelin’. This is very powerful opener, both vocally and musically, and it’s interesting to know that he was part of Muddy Waters’ band for two decades – as a drummer!! However, harmonica is his first instrument and it’s not hard to understand why on this performance. Smith goes back to his former boss for Read Way Back and turns in another strong performance. He has five tracks on this album and he chooses a different composer for each. Junior Wells’ classic Hoodoo Man Blues is given a good treatment as songs from his list of heroes continues. Jimmy Rogers’ You’re The One is well executed and his final song, Sugar Mama, by John Lee Williamson is slower than the rest but just as good and his backing band show up very well. The second artist, Martin Lang, has four tracks and although he is the youngest of the quartet on show he offers up classic Chicago blues in the form of Martin Jumps In. Sad Sad Day follows and this is, like its predecessor, self-penned. This is slower but has a harp that wails. Lang’s third track is Pulaski Stomp and is another fine example of good plain old harp music. The genre is in good hands, as shown by his final track, Ten Hole Blues. This is slowed down to the extreme and, like the others, is an instrumental that shows a high level of technique.

Little Arthur Duncan only gets three tracks but that doesn’t detract from his overall input. Leavin’ In The Morning is a fast paced Little Walter song that is matched by lightning harmonica and piercing vocal. Pretty Thing is a Jimmy Reed song but this is just a standard performance by a man who is a top level performer. Duncan’s last offering is the Willie Dixon/Muddy Waters song, Young Fashioned Ways. I recently reviewed a version of this by Wallace Coleman and although Duncan’s version is more earthy, I don’t think that it’s any better. Easy Baby (Alec Randle) is the last of the artists to be given their chance. The first of his four songs is Room 39, a self-penned song on which he serves up some silky harmonica. The vocal is virtually spoken and Eddie Guitar Jnr is excellent on guitar, as he is on a number of other tracks. Crazy Mixed Up World is a Little Walter song and if you are familiar with the work of that particular genius then there will be no surprises here. Easy Baby comes up with another original in Willie Mae. This is very strong and compares very well with anything else produced here. Randle ties up the album with the traditional This Little Light Of Mine. This is, as you would expect, a piano led Gospel tune – simple and extremely heart warming. For those of you who like harmonica blues this is as good a place to start as anywhere.

http://www.randomchancerecords.com/

David Blue 2006.

Roy Book Binder – Live At The Fur Peace Station/Singer-Songwriter Bluesman (Peg Leg Records).

Roy won’t mind me saying but he’s been around for a while now but during that time he’s mingled with some of the best in the business. On this live album, he gives us a flavour of people he’s known, including the Reverend Gary David, from whom he learned very much. Book Binder’s guitar style is very gentle, acoustic finger-picking and his vocals are as equally gentle. This album has 17 tracks interspersed with an introduction for each and he opens with one of his self-written songs, What You Gonna Do, that introduces us to his tender country blues. Baby Let Me Lay It On You is the first of a trio of Reverend Gary Davis songs and Roy makes it sound so easy even though he hasn’t played it on stage for 25 years. As Roy regales us with stories of Davis he also shows us his wry humour. He then goes on to give us a great version of Delia before reminding himself that he can’t sing one of the nightclub verses from Jelly Roll (too lewd). This is a highlight of the album and provides finger-picking of the highest class. Three Times Seven, written by Merle Travis. is more of the gentle, easy going material and his second self-written song, Full Go Around makes it obvious that he soaked up everything from the blues greats that he has known and gives it his own stamp. Ragtime Millionaire is a William Moore song and gives Roy the chance to flit between country blues and ragtime which he does seamlessly. Innuendo abounds on Dave Van Ronk’s Yas Yas Yas and Roy turns in an outstanding performance.

Cocaine Blues is another Reverend Gary Davis song and it’s the same gentle style again but that is what these songs call for. He turns to Pink Anderson for CC & O Blues which turns out to be a bit faster than most but the quality is not lost. Roy stays with Pink Anderson for Travellin’ Man and shows his top quality fingering skills again. It’s Mississippi John Hurt next and Mermaids Flirt With Me. The first time that I heard this song was when I picked it up on a David Johansen album and I love this song. Needless to say, I love this version too and Roy gives it a very sympathetic treatment. Charlie Stone, written by Larry Johnson, is another example of Roy’s well played country blues and Luke Jordan’s Won’t You Be Kind has Roy flirting on the edge, as many blues songs do. The sign of a great musician is that he makes it sound so easy and that is exactly what Roy does on Billy Joe Shaver’s Chunk Of Cool. He finishes with songs from another two greats, Jimmy Murphy and Jessie Thomas. Murphy’s song is Electricity and Roy’s playing is simply electric. Jessie Thomas’ Another Friend Of Mine is chosen for the closing song and the upbeat finish rounds off what is an excellent introduction into the world of Roy Book Binder.

Singer-Songwriter Bluesman opens with Roy’s gentle blues on It’s Gonna Be Alright Someday. I think it’s his clear lines, both vocally and musically, that wins over his audiences. This is further confirmed with The Preacher Picked The Guitar – simply wonderful. St. Pete Blues sees him in reflective mood as he remembers his mentors Pink Anderson and Rev. Gary Davis. Anywhere You Go is a little more up-tempo but it still has that book Binder quintessence and the following Travelin’ Man Blues is a classic country blues. The country blues theme continues with the moral tale, Can’t Do That No More and Roy turns to slide guitar for She Did You A Favour, which he delivers in his own inimitable style. Gentle country blues are back on Goin’ Back To Tampa but Roy turns all contemporary for New Age Woman Blues – still creates the same high quality though. He stays in the modern idiom for Trouble In The Streets and tackles a dark subject with some gusto. Another string to his bow is the gospel influenced blues of While He Served His Time. This shows that he can stretch across the blues genre. Blind Lemon is obviously for Blind Lemon Jefferson and Roy’s lovely finger picking is as fine a tribute as any. The closing tracks confirm Roy’s status as one of the best exponents of acoustic blues about today. I’m Goin’ Home Today is a bouncy country blues and Palm Trees Shakin’ In The Night is a slide blues par excellence. Both songs and, in fact, both albums, are great examples of his song writing and show Roy Book Binder to be a master of his craft.


http://www.roybookbinder.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

R.J. Mischo – He Came To Play (Crosscut Records).

When I see the name R.J. Mischo I expect harmonica blues and this album doesn’t fail to deliver. The Train is classic swing blues and a great foot-tapping entry into the world of Mischo. He has not lost any of the power from the Downhome Trio album that I reviewed for Netrhythms last year. This Lewis Collins song is noisy and in your face – suits his voce very well. Joe Hutto’s 20% Alcohol is up next and Mischo gives it a good treatment. An electric blues, it was recorded live in the studio as is the rest of the album and has Frank Goldwasser bending his guitar strings to good effect. Mojo Lounge is the first of the original songs. There’s some excellent harmonica, as expected and it is a true example of Mischo’s song writing skills. The Switch is another original and is an instrumental, very 60s in its style, attitude and execution. The originals continue with Telephone Driver (Hang Up & Dance). This has echoed vocals and is delivered at walking pace. The pounding drums from June Core are the focal point. There is a second instrumental in the form of The Pull. Self-penned again with Mischo, Barry Shulman on sax and Goldwasser & Chris ‘Kid’ Anderson on guitar all starring.

John Lee Williamson’s famous Bluebird Blues always has been a classy song and Mischo’s version does not change that. What he does do is stamp his authority all over it. Please Help is an up-tempo Joe Hutto song played to great effect by this tight band whereas James Dawkins’ Hippie’s Playground is a straightforward bustling blues with a beat akin to Howlin’ Wolf’s Spoonful. The Waddle is the third of Mischo’s instrumentals and is probably the best. The slightly fuzzed harp and fast pace show that he is a real harp players player. There’s more evidence of his song writing talent on RJ Come And Get It. This is just harp, sax and drums – short and very sweet. The eponymous self-penned title track is probably the weakest track on the album. It’s not very inspiring and is a bit disjointed at times. He recovers for the end of the album with Jokerhead, complete with drunken vocal, and Uh Huh which is my way for an album to finish – full of energy.

http://www.crosscut.de/
http://www.rjblues.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

GIG NEWS:

3rd October -- Public Enemy. Barrowlands, Glasgow, Scotland
6th October -- Shooglenifty. The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, Scotland
9th October -- The Long Blondes. The Lemon Tree, Aberdeen, Scotland
16th October -- Devil Sold His Soul. King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Scotland
24th October -- Guillemots. ABC, Glasgow, Scotland

21st December -- Frightened Rabbit. King Tut's Wah Wah Hut, Glasgow, Scotland

Various Artists – Network Pacific Records Blues Sampler Vol.1 (Network Pacific Records).

I’ve always found that sampler albums can be hit and miss but it’s a good way to hear a labels roster in one fell swoop. Fortunately, Network Pacific’s blues sampler falls on the hit side as Dmitri Resnick’s opener Fast Track exemplifies. This is a fast paced, as the title suggests, R&B instrumental from Resnick’s first album. He has a big sound and stinging guitar. Resnick’s other offering is Got No Time For Taking Numbers and he turns to acoustic slide this time. This is an authentic blues from the internationally acclaimed Resnick and allows him to show his diversity and his clear, world weary voice. The Clint Warner Band is allowed two tracks as well and Don’t You Raise No Fuss is a swing blues released for the first time although it’s already a live favourite. Warner and harp player Ron Perry exchange licks whilst Rick Nelson gives his all on keyboards. The band is cut to a duo for Pain In My Heart as Chris Matheos on upright bass joins Warner on guitar/vocals. This is a slow blues but has so much power, especially from Warners voice. Two from The Kane Daily Band follow in the form of Too Hot Mama and Dangerous Thing. The former features electric slide guitar from erstwhile Michael Falzarano (Hot Tuna) sidekick Daily and his drawled vocal on this R&B rocker compliments his excellent slide. Kane goes solo for Dangerous Thing and this is the better of the tracks. He goes back to mean and moody basics with great success. The songs keep coming in pairs and Smokin’ Todd Sorensen &The Real Deal are up next with Dirty Martini and If This Was The Last Time. They are reckoned to be one of the up and coming bands on the Pacific Northwest and it’s hard to disagree on these performances. Dirty Martini is a slick jazz club blues with a sleazy vocal and If This Was The Last Time confirms that Sorenson can make the grade on guitar. His voice suits this song to a tee and cements his reputation as a star of the future.

Bobby Radcliff is a regular visitor to Europe and recently starred with Bob Margolin’s All Stars. His contributions are Lovers Death Zone and Downstroke. The former highlights his distinctive staccato guitar style and the latter, a guitar-led instrumental, harks back to the heyday of guitar instrumentals. The last of the paired songs are from up and coming Italians Robi Zonca & His Band. Nothing is a slick electric blues that showcases Robi’s guitar but his voice is a bit strained at times. Just A Little Bit is a shuffling blues and it rocks. Zonca shows us how good a guitarist he is and this style of song suits his voice so much better. Sister Blue Band gets one song to impress and Get Over It achieves its objective. This jaunty, down to earth blues is from her latest album Lust Pain And Other Temptations and her backing band provide a tight accompaniment. Losin’ You from Fingers Farrell with Andy Just serves up some classy harp from the aforementioned Mr Just who normally performs with Robben Ford and Etta James. I’ve listened to a number of harmonica men recently and Just is up there with the best of them. John Wedemayer of the Charlie Musselwhite Band adds a storming guitar solo and Farrell tops it all with thumping bass and great vocal harmonies. One of the stars of the album is The Sarah Ayres Band and Body Says Yes will blow you away. Guitarist Greg Lipsky is a star on this blues/rock of the highest standard. The album finishes with the UK’s Storm Warning. They give us Whisky Blues (spelled correctly, good boys) and they get my vote straight away. The song is slow and ponderous but that’s not a bad thing. I’ve not heard of the boys before but on the evidence of this I’m off to find out more. There’s some sultry harp, the vocals are rough in the right places and guitar work to make the hairs stand up on the back of your neck.

http://www.networkpacificrecords.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Lisa Karp – Fucsia Blues (Adore Records).

From the opening bars of the sultry jazz club style Why Do I Wait to the lounge version of Good News Rumors Lisa Karp’s unique style will have you captivated. She has enlisted the help of none other than the legendary Dr. John for this sophisticated album. Karp is hot and laid back all in one package. Everything’s Broken, a duet with Dr. John, is probably the highlight of the album and it is the good Doctor that steals the show – I can’t get enough of this. Call Home is another in the jazz club style with prominent double bass and Dose Of You exemplifies her laid back style with the double vocal giving an excellent echo effect.

Good News Rumors has echoes of old time barroom blues, just voice and piano. There’s some electric guitar introduced on Curve Of The Truth and it’s obvious that Karp goes in for the minimalist approach. This has very sparse backing for her unique voice. It’s back to the acoustic sound for Try which has the now obligatory sultry vocals but has little substance. The strange time signatures of My Life Hotel only adds to the quirkiness of this album and the whole feel is of 60s blues/jazz.

South Pacific certainly proves Lisa’s originality but she may take a few listens to get into and this jazz/blues rarely gets out of first gear. She finishes on a lounge version of Good News Rumors and changes her vocal but little else. What does stand out here is the quality of piano playing from Dr. John.

The last word belongs to Dr. John who says “What I like about her is that she doesn’t think the way most singer/songwriters think. She often approaches stuff from left field”. That is quite possibly the understatement of the year.

http://www.lisakarp.com/
http://www.luckmedia.com/


Copyright David Blue 2006.

Wrinkle Neck Mules – Liza (Roundhill Records).

The Wrinkle Neck Mules have put out this mini album to sooth the withdrawal symptoms of those who loved Minor Enough and to whet the appetite for their upcoming full album, Pull The Brake, which is due out in March. The six tracks on offer will satisfy everyone and cement the Mules growing reputation as one of Americana’s finest exponents.

The title track is a joy. They have not lost any of their impact since the excellent Minor Enough and they are Americana personified. Liza is bluegrass in parts, electric country rock in others and there’s a story in there as well. Like most of the tracks it is Andy Stepanian written and it oozes class. The other studio track is Stolen Horses; this is very much in the vein of Neil Young and shows the rockier side of the Mules. The remainder of the songs are, in the main, gleaned from Minor Enough with an excellent cover of Mickey Newbury’s Why You Been Gone So Long thrown in for good measure. These are all live tracks and give a flavour of the Wrinkle Neck Mules experience. 17 Miles Of Bourbon is a case in point. From my review of Minor Enough, I said that this was sheer class and they can crank it out on stage as well. No Consolation is the opening track from Minor Enough and it still retains its new country rock feel. The Mules certainly are a live act to be reckoned with. Why You Been Gone So Long is a harmony-laden song to have a few drinks to – something that I imagine would sum up an evening with The Mules. The set ends with Discarded, a high paced country rock/bluegrass crossover that will have you begging for more – fantastic!

If you’ve not heard this band before then this will provide an excellent introduction. Go on, get Wrinkled.

http://www.wrinkleneckmules.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Wallace Coleman – Stretch My Money/Live At Joe’s/The Bad Weather Blues (Pinto Blue).

You may, or may not, have heard of Wallace Coleman and if you haven’t then please allow me to give you a little piece of background. Respected bluesman Robert Jr Lockwood always said that he would never have a harmonica player in his band – that was until he heard Wallace Coleman play. Coleman was, at the time, playing with Guitar Slim whilst working on his day job and two years later, in 1987, once he had worked enough to earn his pension he joined Lockwood for a ten year stint.

Since starting his solo career, somewhat late in life, in 1997, Coleman has won many awards for his harp playing and these three albums give a good account of him as both a studio and live artist.

Stretch My Money (2000) was his debut and opens with the Lightnin’ Hopkins song Mojo Hand. This introduces us to Coleman’s deep silky voice and slightly understated harmonica considering this was his first solo track. Spare Woman is self-written but played in a Muddy Waters style. His voice is not as powerful but, not many are. Highlight of the song is the excellent slide guitar provided by Frank ‘Silk’ Smith. Dead Presidents is a Willie Dixon song and it’s not about what you may think – it’s all about those Presidents who are depicted on dollar bills. Coleman is starting to get into gear now and his harmonica playing is really warming up. The title track is another of the self penned numbers and is pretty much standard fare. His harmonica is starting to be used more than just a filler and the song gives Mark Augustine the chance to show his prowess. Bring It On Home is another Willie Dixon song and, although Coleman is not in the same class as Howlin’ Wolf, his style of not over exaggerating his harp playing has a certain panache. Shake Me is probably the weakest track on the album despite the good harmonica – it’s all just a bit too light. The opposite could be said of Strong Love. This has a much heavier sound and is a real grower. Earl Hooker’s Off The Hook is a laid back jazz blues where Mark Augustine excels on Hammond B3. Dangerous Man is the top track on the album and Augustine continues his good form on this Roosevelt Sykes song. Vernondo Parker keeps it all together on drums. Sugar To Shame is a jaunty, happy blues that has Coleman coming out of his shell and the shuffling blues of the Howlin’ Wolf song Who’s Been Talking is a highlight where everything just clicks. Painesville Slim on guitar deserves to be singled out for particular praise here. The closing track, Homeless People, shows a social conscience and although the overall sound is a bit thin, Coleman’s harmonica has continued to get better and better.

Coleman’s second album, Live At Joe’s, gives a flavour of Wallace and the band on stage. Opening with a classy performance of the Little Walter classic, Juke, he shows that he a top live performer and certainly in the top 10 harmonica players in the world. This is followed by the first of his self-written songs, Hard Life. Coleman produces a true downtrodden blues here and his harmonica compliments Tim Matson and Mike Modin’s guitars perfectly. You’re The One is best known as a Jimmy Rogers song and Coleman manages to evoke the true image of Chicago blues. Another of Wallace’s own songs is the low key Love Spell. This is played in an intimate fashion and the sparse use of harmonica is very effective. Robert Johnson’s songs have been covered by Wallace Coleman since his days with Lockwood and it is a brave man that adds a harmonica part to a Johnson song. Coleman is certainly brave as there are normally only two ways to play a Robert Johnson song, play it exactly like the original or completely make it your own. He doesn’t really do either but this song carries itself. He goes back to Little Walter for One More Chance With You. This swings along very well and Coleman produces another top class performance on harp. Big Dog Blues is an everyday tale of buying a small dog that turns into a big one, been there have you? Coleman’s wailing harmonica saves this one. Young Fashioned Ways is a Willie Dixon written, Muddy Waters song that is perfectly played – enough said. There’s more Muddy Waters on Lonesome Room Blues and although he is not as strong as Muddy vocally, this is still a highlight of the album and it is Chicago blues personified. Coleman returns to Little Walter for Tell Me Mama and Fred Goodnight excels on drums as he does on Juke. My Last Meal is a prison song, a rich seam for blues singers, and is another made famous by Jimmy Rogers. Coleman’s sweet vocal sets this off well. The session finishes with Way Back Home, written by Wilton Felder. This is a laid back finish to the show but shows Coleman’s expertise and he is ably backed by Tim Marston and Mike Modlin on guitar.

The most recent of the trio, 2003’s Bad Weather Blues, sees Wallace return to the studio, this time with guests Bob Stroger and Billy Flynn. The eponymous title track is a shuffling blues with a singalong chorus. Mark Hoffman’s introduction on guitar is a bonus and the complete package shows how much a storyteller Coleman is. Pretty All Over is a chugging Chicago blues and marks the improvement in Coleman’s playing and songwriting since the first album – he has become more professional in his songs and his playing has become more classy. He is so comfortable with his harmonica that you could easily be fooled into thinking that he’s not playing anything that difficult. Southern Comfort is a case in point. This laid back instrumental is deceptively simple and shows a master of his craft at work. Better Way To Live is the second of two songs from Jody Getz, Coleman’s sidekick, and this one draws out Wallace’s voice to produce one of the best vocals on the album. He makes his usual visit to the catalogue of Little Walter, this time for Everybody Needs Somebody. Again, his voice is not as powerful as Jacobs’ but he still manages to turn in an accomplished performance and there’s always that understated harmonica. Standing Still is a jaunty country blues and is a piece of good fun. The self-penned Blue Mist is a virtuoso harmonica performance. This slow blues will have you desperate for more. I wondered when we were going to get a Robert Lockwood song and Mean Red Spider ends that wait. The acoustic guitar and harmonica fit in so well together and this is a very, very good version of a classic song. Coleman’s songwriting has certainly improved since his debut album and Cloudy is a straightforward, medium paced blues. The professionalism of his harp playing should not distract you too much from his words. I’m always impressed by harmonica players lung capacity and Coleman shows his on the lung bursting Billy Bob Jam – the man has lungs of steel! From that, he slows down into Seems Like, which is a wistful, soulful blues and is so proficient. Old Fashioned Guy is standard fare but the wailing harmonica makes it more than listenable. High Tech Blues is a self explanatory tale of those who are neglected by computer lovers. It’s a contemporary theme and shows the blues is moving with the times even if it does go back to the loving topic. Bad Weather Blues closes with Going Down Slow and he’s saved one of the best for last. This has it all – rhythm, harmonica and vocal are all top drawer.

If you are a fan of harmonica players then Wallace Coleman has to be on your list.

http://www.wallacecoleman.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Kevin Brown – Tin Church (Doo Dah Records).

I’ve been waiting in anticipation for the new Kevin Brown album since hearing Mojave Dust and Tin Church does not disappoint. He opens with Lancashire Blood On A Texas Floor, a tale of the Alamo that will send a shiver up your spine. The complete album was recorded live and on Watch Your Step he has that certain tone to his voice that will pierce your inner thoughts. Love Hurts is faster paced than most and shows that he has fantastic control of his guitar and the traditional Jack Of Diamonds is given the Kevin Brown treatment to great effect. He keeps up his superb level of guitar playing on You Never Can Tell before going off to the Delta for All Around The World. All I can say about this is that it is a stunning live performance and vies for the top track of the set.

Brown will take your emotions to the limit and does so with the subdued, rhythmic classic song Take Your Troubles And Let Them Rest to great effect. Take The High Road follows and no, it’s not about the Scottish soap opera. I’m running out of superlatives now and each song is getting better and better. Athletics is not a subject normally associated with the blues but the subject of The Ballad Of Jesse Owens is, I feel, exactly the kind of man that people should be singing about, no matter whether it’s the blues or not. Well done Kevin. What Kevin Brown does so well is his ability to fill out the sound and Stone By Stone is a good example of this. Sometimes a guitar on its own can sound a bit thin but not Brown’s. Shellshocked Johnny is more Americana than blues but it does show an artist that is so comfortable with his talent. The final track is Lead Me On and it is a wonderful way to finish. It’s almost spiritual feel with give you that feel good factor for hours afterwards.

The only problem that I have now is that I’ll have to wait for the next album.

http://www.thekevinbrown.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Boris Boogaloo – Long Way Home (Floppy Records).

Boris Boogaloo makes a welcome return to the blues after the experimentations of his last album, Crazy Shadows. He opens with Brownie’s Blues, strangely enough a Brownie McGhee song, and he also takes on Sonny Terry’s role for good measure. His wispy vocals give the song an air of it being homemade and this feeling continues throughout the album. Muddy Waters classic Hootchie Cootchie Man (sic) is a well known and powerful blues but Boris turns in a less that powerful performance. Some people may think that this is weak but what we have here is the blues stripped bare. The title track is the first of five self-penned songs and is an acoustic blues with a world weary vocal. This shows an increased maturity in his songwriting and bodes well for the future. From there he goes on to turn in a very passable cover of Canned Heat’s World In A Jug.

Smilin’ Blues has that rare Boogaloo thing, a drum beat! This is electric, contemporary and urban although, on this occasion, Boris’s voice is a little weak for this style of song. This is the type of track that should be belted out. The chugging I Got A Feelin’ continues the vein of electric guitar and drums but it still needs that powerful voice and maybe a bit of distortion too. No Pain is the penultimate self-written song and it’s a return to the laconic acoustic style that is more suited to his vocal technique. The drums return on Driftin’ Blues, the last of his covers, and are joined by slide and grungy electric guitars. I hate to harp on about the voice but it just doesn’t suit these types of arrangement. It may have been better to tackle this acoustically but it is a fine song no matter what. There’s a full band set up again for the finale. She Knocks Me Out has Mr. Apple on drums, as he has on the others where drums have appeared, and signs that Boris’s vocal has managed to adjust to the electric style. All it needs is a little bit of grit.

Boris Boogaloo’s songwriting has come on in leaps and bounds and the improvement between this and his first album is quite marked.

www.floppyrecords.co.uk

Copyright David Blue 2006.

The Incredible Blues Puppies – Puppy Fat (Note Records).

The Incredible Blues Puppies are Alan Glen (vocal, guitar, harmonica), John O’Reilly (vocal, guitar), Jim Mercer (vocal, bass) and Dino Coccia (drums, percussion) and they certainly are not puppies in British blues circles. Puppy Fat provides Alan Glen another vehicle on which to showcase his not inconsiderable guitar and harmonica talents. The album starts with Another Kind Of Love, one if only four self written songs on offer. This is stylish British R&B that gives an upbeat beginning that bodes well for the rest of the set. Alan Glen is one of Britain’s top harmonica players and playing of this standard will help to cement that position. Good Morning Miss Brown is a Taj Mahal song and the rhythm section of Coccia and Mercer provides a pounding beat akin to a train in full flight. The instrumental title track is another of the self-written songs and has Glen on form with his harmonica leading the way. Another original is Angle Of Dissent, written by drummer Coccia. This has a clever lyric but the style will take a little getting used to. Man Down There is a fast paced blues that has Glen playing his lungs out again and both he and John O’Reilly provide excellent guitar backing. This was written by lesser known bluesman G.L. Crockett whose main claim to fame was Think Twice Before You Go.

When you think of T-Bone Walker you think of jazzy blues and that is exactly what you get on T Bone Jumps Again. Another giant, Mississippi Fred McDowell, is covered next. His 61 Highway has a beat added by arranger Mercer and there are times when this works. Unfortunately, this is not one of those times but there is no denying the quality of the playing. The Puppies get a little frenetic on Rosco Gordon’s Just A Little Bit before returning to the more sedate swing blues of Walking To My Baby. This is a Kim Wilson song and is therefore harmonica led but the guitar does get a surprising solo as well. The closing track is 7 Years Too Late and Mercer’s arrangement of this Coccia song is much better. They finish in the manner that they started and give us British R&B of the highest order and with Roger Cotton guesting on Hammond they could not have gone wrong.

http://www.note-music.co.uk/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Frog Holler – Haywire (ZoBird Records).

Frog Holler whetted many appetites with their 2004 mini album The High Highs And The Low Lows and it was with great anticipation that I awaited their first full release since 2003. My wait was worth it as I slipped Haywire into my CD player. They have not lost any of their melody, melancholy or their ability to provoke your thoughts. Hades is the first shot across your bows and is power Americana. Darren Schlappich’s at times fractured vocal does actually give the impression of the pain of a hell on earth. The harmonies, 3 or 4 part are excellent and give pointers to what is to come. On One Last Time the band cranks up the pace a little and there are tones of country/bluegrass in this rocker. Like the rest of the album this is written by Schlappich. Pepper And Salt has the clever, deep lyrics that I have come to expect from Schlappich and this relationship song throws up lines such as “Both sides were peppered with insults but it was taken with no salt”. It’s not all doom and gloom and Terms And Conditions is just pure unadulterated joy. 74 is what Americana is all about and Schlappich shows how good a storyteller he is. This builds up into one of the songs of the album.

They are not just one trick ponies and the next three songs go to prove that. On Winter Blues is sleepy, dreamy modern country, the title track is gentle alt. country with the band on top form and Sight Unseen is country rock with stuttering electric guitars. Although each of these songs is country based they are all different in their execution. Ben Franklin Blues is acoustic harmony laden alt. country and is high class whereas Gwendolyn Brown is slow and moody. This shows Schlappich’s dark side again and the burgeoning chorus and guitar solo are a delight. The album closes all too soon with Rat Race. There’s a bit of bluegrass in this alt. country offering and the lyric “Don’t take me back ‘cause nothing’s changed. It’s just the same old rats run the same old race” will make you think. Frog Holler is the thinking man’s Americana band and you better believe it.

http://www.frogholler.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Sweet Billy Pilgrim – We Just Did What Happened And No One Came (Wonderland Avenue).

This is Sweet Billy Pilgrim’s debut album and they; yes they (not one person but three) are the subject of quite a bit of chatter at the moment. 3,000 downloads of their last song, Forget To Breathe, in 3 weeks will testify to this. As debut albums goes I have to say that this is one of the most accomplished that I have heard. Atlantis is a low key opener and has some hints of Peter Gabriel in the vocal. This is folkadelica and will most likely become a favourite of the future. Stars Spill Out Of Cups has already been released on a successful EP and has as beautiful a chorus as you are likely to hear. All of the songs on the album are written by Tim Elsenburg and the other members of the trio are Anthony Bishop and Alistair Hamer. This is definitely not in your face music and I found it very soothing. The haunting God In The Details is very original and very probably will get under your skin. Elsenburg again shows that he has a talent for writing a chorus. Faraway vocals introduce In The Water I Am Beautiful and gives up folk for people who don’t really want to admit that they like folk music.

There’s been a bit of banjo playing so far on the album and Deshonrado has some more but the most interesting piece about this song is that the vocalist sounds as if he is in the room with you. Very clear and great production on this and it is the best song so far. No Jesus In Here is some more gentle, easy going material and harks back to Neil Young in his Harvest Moon period. This contributes to a very strong middle section to the album. Experience is painfully slow with signs of Robert Fripp and King Crimson whereas Black Flag is not much faster but does get them back on form. If you have heard and liked King Creosote then you will certainly like these guys. The final track comes along all too quickly and Atropina keeps up the sedate pace of its predecessors. I’m trying hard to think what this reminds me of and the only thing that I can come up with is Aqualung but not the Jethro Tull effort.

Just drift away on this selection of songs – it is sublime.

http://www.wonderlandmedia.net/
http://www.sweetbillypilgrim.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Jo Mango – Paperclips And Sand (Lo-Five Records).

This is the debut album from the much feted Glasgow based songwriter and with labels such as Island and Fiction courting her it is eagerly awaited. Showing an independent streak and spurning the majors may have been a mistake but on listening to what she has produced I think that she has made the right decision. She opens with My Lung, a simple vehicle for her childlike voice – simply beautiful. Tea Lights introduces guitar for the first time but it is her cool, clear voice that is the real star. She has a quality to her signing that I have not heard for some time. Alan Peacock duets vocally on the standout track, Gomer, on which we have two singers giving it their all on an epic song. This is acoustic brilliance. We have here the next Scottish star and her beautiful and simple music on tracks such as How I’d Be will have you hooked. You wouldn’t expect to find a waltz on a modern album but Jo manages to squeeze one in with Waltz With Me and this, played on guitar and flute, is quite hypnotic.

Being from Scotland you should expect some Celtic tinged songs and you will not be disappointed with the stunning, folksy Take Me Back on which she draws on all of her history. Hard Day is slightly reminiscent of an acoustic Alanis Morrissette but don’t be fooled, Jo is very much her own woman. Blue Light highlights her lovely voice and how well she uses it. This is moody and evocative and the electric guitars add to that mood. It also shows that she can perform with a band as well as a solo artist. She returns to acoustic for Harlow 1959 (a fine year that was) and this is another epic of a song. This is where the albums title comes from but I still haven’t a clue what it’s about though. The album ends with Bonus Track (don’t know if this is the title or if it really is a bonus track) and it is just so deceptively simple. If anything, that will be her trademark. This girl is destined for higher things – mark my words.

http://www.jomango.co.uk/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

David Brake & That Damn Band – Lean Mean Texas Machine (Westerland Records).

David Brake and his band have been described as Texas Y’Alternative and on listening to Lean Mean Texas Machine it’s not hard to understand why. He covers a number of genres on these eleven self-written songs and succeeds on most of them. The opener, Even Five To Closing Time (What Do I Do Now) is a straightforward contemporary country sing-along with Billy Curtis’ fiddle on top form. The eponymous title track is country rock with heavy slide guitar and is grungier than the more traditional opener. Born In A Bad Mood has blues overtones and its cagey introduction builds up into an excellent blues rocker – with fiddle!! There’s a return to the heavier side of country rock on Swindler with its Eagles style vocal harmonies whereas there’s a hint of Bob Dylan in the arrangement of Cowpunks, Angels and Architects which is delivered in a country/folk/rock style.

The first slow song on the album is 101 tattoos and it is completely different to what has gone before. He adds saxophone and piano, the result being more like a Ben Folds song than blues or country. All Mine brings back the heavier country sound and he almost goes alternative on this. He achieves the alt. sound on El Paso Café but the fiddle manages to hold on to the country roots. Think Of Me is a night club piano song and nothing more but the band return to form on The Ballad of Tom Delancy (Love Kicked My Ass). This is unashamed country with the fiddle going good guns. The album finishes all too soon with Sounds Of The Sacred. This is a bit too slow for a closing track in my opinion, (I’ve said in the past that I like albums to finish on the upbeat) but when David and the band come up with something that is a combination of Tom Waits and Bruce Hornsby then I shouldn’t be too churlish.

http://www.westerlandrecords.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Nikii Davis – Simple Kind Of Woman (Stop, Look & Listen Records).

This is the debut album from Oregon born singer-songwriter Nikii Davis. The list of producers and supporting artists reads very well and shows that Nikii is a force to be reckoned with. She opens with Invisible World and the top class production is there for everyone to hear from the outset. Teja Bell on acoustic guitar is a star but vocally, Nikii struggles to get out of first gear. The introduction of Terry Robb on the eponymous title track gives added impetus. His slide guitar playing is sublime. It is very apparent that he had a say in the arrangement as well. This is blues based and Nikii starts to show some promise on vocals. I Shiver is a Robert Cray song and we get a bit of emotion at last. This classy blues is the best song so far. Nikii goes off on a reggae trip on Over & Over -- pretty standard fare though. Can’t Quit You does have a groove going on but I feel that Nikii is over-pronouncing her words at times. Muddy Waters’ son, Big Bill Morganfield, co-wrote Someone Like U with Nikii but it’s not a blues as you may have suspected. Rather, it’s a glossy middle of the road song that drifts along.

Round And Round is the track of the album. Sly Dunbar makes a telling contribution on drums and Toots Hibbert shares the vocals. When you add Terry Robb on slide guitar then things don’t get much better. Toots also brings in Skyler Jett on backing vocals and between the two of them they bring out Nikii’s best vocal. Sadly we drift back to the middle of the road with the weak When We’re Apart, but the welcome return of Terry Robb lifts sprits somewhat although it is Tod Carver who takes on lead guitar duties on this mid-paced ska offering. Fall Of My Tears falls back into the middle of the road genre but this does have something to build on though. This could be reworked into an excellent blues. She does get back to the blues on Ain’t Going Back but there’s not enough emotion in her voice. Nikii finishes with Shame Shame which is another blues based song. This shuffling, Kansas style blues suits her voice far more than some of the earlier offerings.

As debut albums go this is a fair start. If Nikii can add a bit of grit and emotion to her voice and add that to her already excellent songwriting skills then she has the potential to go far.

http://www.nikiidavis.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Tom Principato – Guitar Gumbo/Celebrating 40 Years Of Roots Guitar Playing (Powerhouse Records).

Washington DC blues guitar legend Tom Principato’s latest album Guitar Gumbo has a scattering of self written originals with a few carefully chosen covers thrown in for good measure. He opens with Louisiana (Been Callin’ Me), a John Fogerty style Southern blues rock. This sets up a good tone for the rest of the album and gives us a glimpse of his guitar virtuosity. It’s much the same for If Love Is Blind which is some more of that good time music. The Southern/country blues rock vein continues with They Took My Money Away, a Fats Domino song. Tom drifts off onto bar-room blues for the Mayo Williams classic, Drinking Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee and his loquacious vocal continues without skipping a beat – your feet will move to this one. Return Of The Voodoo Thing keeps up the pace although it is a bit rockier than the others. This gives us the chance to hear Tom’s guitar skills as they come to the fore – this is an excellent instrumental. From a fast instrumental to a slow one, Tango’d Up In The Blues is a novel concept that tries to merge the two genres. His guitar skills enable him to just about get away with it. Hey Now Baby is a swinging New Orleans blues. Written by Roy Byrd and Principato gives it a more funky treatment than the more well-known Professor Longhair (Byrd) version. He returns to the Creedence Clearwater Revival style on Helping Hand so just turn up the volume, have a good time and sing along. The penultimate song is the often covered Jambalaya and Tom turns in a good version. It’s not twee at all and I’d like to think that this is the version that most of us would like to play. The album finishes with Tipsy, a fret burner of an instrumental.

The Anniversary CD Celebrating 40 Years Of Roots Guitar Playing has Tom playing in a number of styles and throws up a surprising track or two. He opens with one of his own songs, Play It Cool, which is a swinging blues with stinging guitar and blazing horns – a great start. A couple of covers follow Never Make Your Move Too Soon (Stix Hooper & Wil Jennings) and My Baby Worships Me (Steve Earle). The former carries on from the opener and has a funky bass line and the latter flits between R&B and country. Kim Wilson guests on joint vocal and chips in with thunderous harmonica. Tom’s guitar screeches through this. There’s a return to the self penned songs on Blue Groove, an urban blues instrumental where Tom shows great proficiency. The often covered Jimmy Liggins song I Ain’t Drunk follows and this jazz/barroom version is up there with the best. Tom is now swapping self written songs with covers and Blue Mood is the next of his songs. This is a slow blues burner, the sort that Peter Green turned out in his heyday. The Booker T & William Bell written The Hunter was made famous by Free and, although Tom is not up to Paul Rogers’ standard vocally he more than makes up for it on guitar where he more than matches the original. Congo Square is a Sonny Landreth song and has been recorded by John Mayall and The Neville Brothers but this swaggering, funky blues is before both of those versions. Bullmoose Jackson makes a guest appearance on the Leiber & Stoller song Nosey Joe. This is swing jazz and it is great fun. Things calm down a bit for Blue Lights, a sultry blues instrumental before Every Minute, Every Hour arrives. This is an electric blues in every sense and his voice is totally suited to this. The high tempo continues with In Orbit and Tom’s skills are evident on this jazz blues instrumental. Gritty Chicago blues are next on offer with Little Johnny Jones’ Sweet Little Woman and then Tom gets all brave and takes on Jimi Hendrix’s Up From The Skies but this is the one song that does not work. The last cover is Merle Haggard’s Today I Started Loving You Again and Tom gives this country song the blues treatment and it works well in both genres. He goes out on a high with One For Danny (Dedicated To Danny Gatton) and his high paced country finger picking is just the perfect tribute.

Tom Principato has released a number of albums but these two are a perfect introduction to a top guitar player.

http://www.tomprincipato.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

James Apollo – Good Grief (Aquarium Records).

James Apollo is described as a Tumbleweed, a hapless dreamer and a purveyor of roots eccentricity. Good Grief is 13 original tracks that show why. Currently living in Minneapolis, he has resided in California, Arkansas and Tennessee and has soaked up musical influences from them all. The album starts with the instrumental Prelude, Colonel Travis which is full of Mexican influence and, as the title infers, Alamo references. This theme continues on to The Alamo, a very slow alt.country song that has Apollo making his last stand – “Call me an Alamo”. This is lyrically clever and musically powerful. The alt. country vibe continues with Spring Storm whose jaunty delivery with accordions and banjos gives it a Bohemian feel. Dead Men Weigh More Than Broken Hearts wins the best title of the year so far award and its slow, pondering Americana makes for relaxing listening. Apollo has a whispering quality to his voice at times and Libertyville is a case in point. He lays his soft vocal over layers of Bert Weedon/Duane Eddy guitars all on top of an acoustic backdrop. The sparse, haunting Long Rope follows this and he returns to Bohemia for the strong and powerful Mercenary Tango.

The short Neko is weaker than most of the album but Loneliness is just the business. This slow, somber style is just right up his street. It’s very difficult to fit Apollo into any one category and that’s no bad thing. The highlight of the album is the very classy Three Birds. He could do almost anything with this song with its funky bass and he could quite easily turn out to be a male K.T. Tunstall. Slow Burn is quite ironic as it is probably the fastest track on offer. It starts off in a New Orleans funereal style but builds very quickly. He returns to his favoured slow pace on All The Pretty, again with the New Orleans feel. Slide guitar and harmonium are the stars here. Apollo finishes strongly with the eponymous title track and he keeps up the originality to the end. He doesn’t do the regular beats and he is an imaginative artist in so many ways. This will grow on you.

http://www.aquariumrecords.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Hey Negrita – The Buzz Above (Fat Fox).

Fresh from an appearance at SXSW in March, Hey Negrita release their second album, The Buzz Above, to follow their critically acclaimed 2005 debut, We Are Catfish. They open with the melodic Americana of Can’t Walk Away before going on to All About Me which is contemporary country with Johnny Cash overtones. This is quite appropriate as they are emulating Cash by conducting a tour of UK prisons in October 2006. They continue in the contemporary country vein with Penny Drops and Al Stewart immediately comes to mind on the classy folk/rock of Abandon Ship. Coming Down is a middle of the road country song but lacks edge but the required bite is supplied on Good Times, a Celtic influenced folk rocker.

There’s not a lot to shout about on Charlene but the understated The Message is one of the album’s highlights. Back into the Americana style for Hold Tight and Nine To Five with the latter being the better of the two. This up-tempo offering, with a welcome harmonica included, has a sing-along chorus that would go down well in any barroom. Lust And Bones carries on their talent for writing great choruses and although this has the ability to be an ‘indie’ song, it’s just trying a little too hard. The final track sums up Hey Negrita. Sunlight Hits Your Eyes is where British folk meets contemporary American country. If you like either then you are unlikely to be disappointed.

http://www.fatfox.co.uk/
http://www.heynegrita.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Watermelon Slim & The Workers – Watermelon Slim & The Workers (NorthernBlues Music).

This is Watermelon Slim’s debut for NorthernBlues and builds on his critically acclaimed Up Close And Personal album which I reviewed last year. He has toured constantly since and this has given him a toughness that is transparent on his new disc. Hard Times is a strong opener and confirms his status as one of the rising stars on the Blues scene. Driving drums from Michael Newberry and scorching slide guitar from Slim make this one of the best opening tracks that I have heard this year. Slim is a former truck driver and delves into his past with great regularity, Dumpster Blues being a case in point. This is electric blues of the first degree and The Workers, the aforementioned Newberry on drums, Ike Lamb on guitar and Cliff Belcher on bass, give great backing to Slim’s affected vocal. The only out and out cover on the album is the classic Baby Please Don’t Go. This has been covered so many times but Slim takes it back close to the original and turns in a great version. Devil’s Cadillac is co-written by drummer Newberry and is a slow, rhythmic blues on a familiar theme. Slim cranks it up on the fast paced and good fun Check Writing Woman (recently played on Paul Jones’ Radio 2 show). Possum Hand is a slow harmonica led blues instrumental, written by Ike Lamb. Slim shows that he can handle acoustic slide as well on Frisco Line which sounds like an authentic old time blues (apart from the drums), enough said.

There’s more than a bit of Robert Cray’s style in Ash Tray which is another electric slide song. He returns to his former employment again on Mack Truck, a fast paced Kansas style offering with excellent harmonica. Bad Sinner has brooding slide guitar as Slim reaches top form and his Dobro playing on Folding Money Blues is sheer class. You can just imagine him sitting on the front porch playing this. Juke Joint Woman is an up-tempo shuffler and Hard Labor is electric Chicago, showing that he and the band can play in many styles. They finish with Eau De Boue which is sung completely in French and tips its hat to Cajun. Fortunately, there is a full translation in the sleeve notes.

Watermelon Slim continues to go from strength to strength. Catch him if you can.

http://www.northernblues.com/
http://www.watermelonslim.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Janiva Magness – Do I Move You? (NorthernBlues Music).

2006 Blues Music Award nominee for Contemporary Female Blues Artist of the Year Janiva Magness is described by Delbert McClinton as “…. sings with a rare conviction. She will not be denied.”. What is confirmed by listening to Do I Love You? is that Janiva Magness is a supremely confident blues vocalist. The funky blues of I’m Just A Prisoner (Of Your Good Lovin’) showcases her smokey voice and is a powerful opener. Her tight band gives an excellent backdrop to her superb blues/rock vocal. Willie Dixon’s Workin’ On Me Baby is given a shuffling blues treatment and shows that Janiva can be a real diva if she turns her hand to it. You Were Never Mine (co-written by the aforementioned Mr. McClinton) has Janiva producing another facet to her singing. This time she is slow and soulful and the layers of her voice are nothing less than spectacular. Bassist Jeff Turmes contributes three songs to the album, the first being I Can’t Stop Cryin’. This is the real deal and could easily be mistaken for an authentic song from the blues heyday. It’s Turmes again, this time on Don’t Let Your Memories but unfortunately, this acoustic blues is a bit tame.

Janiva and the band are back on form with classic R&B in the form of I Want You To Have Everything. This is sung with panache and cements her place as one of the best North American contemporary blues singers around. The title track (written by Nina Simone) is a slow, electric blues with Hammond organ from Richard Bell giving the basis of the sound as it does on many others. The very sultry Magness asks the questions and you feel that you better know the answers. Bad Blood is the last of Jeff Turmes’ songs and is probably the best of the trio. The stuttering guitar and gritty soul will make it a favourite for some time to come. There’s some big band blues on I Give Up. This is a real swinger and confirms that Janiva can turn in a high standard on more than one blues sub-genre. Stealin’ Sugar is old style and almost vaudeville. There’s even a washboard (rub board) on this highly entertaining track. The album finishes in the same strong fashion in which it started with the very strong blues rock of A Man Size Job. It is no wonder that Janiva is held in the high regard that she is when she can produce work to the standard of Do I Move You?

www.northernblues.com
www.janivamagness.com
Copyright David Blue 2006.

Joe Bonamassa – You & Me (Provogue).

You & Me opens with the controlled blues of Charley Patton’s High Water Everywhere but Joe adds power on his vocal and guitar where necessary to provide a class opener. Bridge To Better Days is high-end blues/rock with a guitar solo to match the best. Just crank up the volume and listen to the master. The pace is slowed down for Asking Around For You, a Southern blues that has me running out of superlatives. He has all the attributes, a strong voice and peerless guitar; the guy will be a superstar. He maintains the slower pace for So Many Roads, a powerful true blues song in an album that producer Kevin Shirley said would have “more of a rock sound” and “wanted Joe to showcase his depth and versatility; his vocals as well as his incredible guitar playing”. The album has achieved its objectives. I Don’t Believe is a swinging Don Robey blues that shows Joe can play any style with ease.

Tamp ‘Em Up Solid is a classic song and it’s given the Bonamassa treatment but, for the first time on the album, played acoustically. This understated version is a real treat. Joe gives his voice a rest for the instrumental Django where he showcases all of his tricks. Tea For One is a Jimmy Page and Robert Plant song and Joe matches them both for mastery and passion. Palm Trees, Helicopters And Gasoline is acoustic finger picking extraordinaire and Sonny Boy Williamson’s Your Funeral And My Trial is given a rock treatment, so much so that Sonny Boy may struggle to recognise it. The album finishes with another of Joe’s big rock numbers, Torn Down. This could be played in small clubs or large stadia. The man is sheer class. Superb.

www.jbonamassa.com

Copyright David Blue 2006.

Big Road – Blue/Sonic/Boom (ToTheBricks Records).

Southern England based blues rockers Big Road have been around for twenty years or so and have honed themselves into a very tight unit indeed. Their music rarely gets past the 1970s but that should not put you off as they can flit between the bluesy pub rock of the opener, No Other Baby and the Barclay James Harvest style folk rock of Butterfly. The latter of these is one of a few self penned songs amongst many covers of classic and not so classic blues and rock. Sandwiched between these two are the chugging blues of Howlin’ Wolf’s Howlin’ For My Darling and the earthy Do Better Than You’re Doin’. They don’t try to be Howlin’ Wolf and that is a good thing as many have tried and failed. The strong guitar work here makes this a good version. They play a couple of Bo Diddley songs in Who Do You Love? And I Can Tell This. The former is classic Diddley and the band show that this type of chugging song is their forte. The latter is played in a 60s R&B style; so much so that you would not know that it is a Bo Diddley song.

Steve Brayne introduces the harmonica for the first time on Help Me and this is very much a 60s British blues song, harking back to when the band started out. This Is Hip is a well known John Lee Hooker song and it is always a risk taking on one of the great mans tunes. Their blues/rock treatment just doesn’t quite work but there are not many who can give a different slant to John Lee Hooker. Play With Fire is so obviously a Rolling Stones song, even if you didn’t know that the songwriting pair of Nanker and Phelge were pseudonyms for the Stones in their early days. This accomplished performance is a good version and probably the highlight of the album. They turn to Howlin’ Wolf again for Commit A Crime. Again, it’s very difficult to cover The Wolf but they’ve done well this time and this track has the best vocal on offer. Love With A Feeling is a slow Chicago blues with burgeoning bass from Mo Whitfield and shows that they can turn out a good blues when they want to – a highlight. The album closes with the classic All Along The Watchtower and they’ve tried to go down the Hendrix road rather than the original Dylan way. This is one of my all time favourite songs and if you haven’t heard the Hendrix version first then you would be raving about this version – that is high praise, believe me.

www.bigroad.net

Copyright David Blue 2006.