Indigo Moss – Indigo Moss (Butterfly Recordings).

Indigo Moss has just finished as successful support for the recent The Good, The Bad and The Queen’s UK tour and this, their debut album, follows up that success. They have a myriad of influences and Start Over Again has a choral opening with banjos, harp, fiddles and guitar soon joining in. This is Appalachian meets middle England and is a good old sing-along -- great start. The follow up, Suicide Song, was never going to be a happy go lucky song but the female vocalists work well together and this black tune is firmly in the Americana mould. Dang Nabbit has blues and country influences with a venomous, acerbic lyric. They keep one foot firmly in Americana with Happy and have the knack of turning out an upbeat song with less than upbeat subject matter. By the time we reach Miss Those Eyes, the harmonica player is becoming more and more of an influence and he certainly stamps his authority all over this sparse offering. See See Rider is an often covered song and Indigo Moss has countrified it. I can’t say anything against it, as they turn themselves into a modern day jug band. Ok Without You is gentle Americana and Swimming takes you away from yourself. It’s very mesmerizing and is a surprise highlight. The Sweet Spirits o’ Cats a Fightin’ is unashamedly country influenced. Yee-ha, get them pants a swingin’. Indigo Moss invades my realm with a cover of Robert Johnson’s They’re Red Hot. This could have gone oh so bad and they add banjo, electric guitar and bass but it’s such a great song that you can’t really go wrong. They make it different yet also make it sound familiar and that’s a great way to come out of a cover. Red Shoes is off-beat, quirky and old fashioned but the counterpoint young voice sets it off so well. They finish with Nature Of This Town, a Western style foot-tapper and I’m sure that I can hear a washboard in there somewhere.

Indigo Moss could just well be one of the breakthrough bands this year.

http://www.indigomoss.com/

David Blue.

Aynsley Lister – Upside Down (Ruf Records).

This is Aynsley Lister’s first studio album since the acclaimed All Or Nothing in 2003 and this volume of 12 self-penned songs takes him another step along the road to complete blues acceptability. Find My Way Home is a storming blues rock opener and Lister has matured into an excellent artist with nothing flashy on the vocal but a strong, punchy performance as a guitarist. Getaway is another strong rock song and will be good for the American market whereas Always Tomorrow is the obligatory power ballad. As ballads go, this is one of the better ones and has sympathetic guitar. Ice I’m Upon, with its superior harmonies, is another for the American market. It highlights his guitar playing and catchy song writing talent. Beautiful (Keina’s Song) is acoustic with a gentle vocal and is a sublime, beautiful song as the title implies. There’s a contemporary feel to Wherever I Am and it builds up into another great chorus. This will be a great crowd pleaser and will fit in well with the current chart renaissance for rock.

With Me Tonight is slinky and Lister has propelled himself into the higher echelons of European rock with this blues influenced rocker. However, it’s not all electric and the atmospheric Rain allows him to show his prowess on acoustic guitar also. This has an Americana feel and shows his range has expanded. Don’t let the short acoustic introduction to With Me Tonight fool you. This is a high energy blues rocker that you can let your hair down to. He keeps it going on Upside Down, which is another classy rocker that ends as abruptly as it starts. Disorderly Me is a strong, swaying blues with his guitar and voice still on top form -- this is one of the highlights of the album. He finishes with Falling Down and he keeps his form right to the end as his wailing guitar signs off in style.

This is one of the best albums of the year so far. You have to have it in your collection.

http://www.rufrecords.de/
http://www.aynsleylister.co.uk/

David Blue.

Scott McKeon – Can’t Take No More (Provogue Records).

This is young UK blues guitarist Scott McKeon’s debut album and he could not have a better label than Provogue to nurture his burgeoning talent. The opener, Shot Down, shows that Scott McKeon is a rising star in the blues world and he’s already been listed as one of the best 30 blues players in the world on Google. This is a raucous opener with hints of 60s R&B and supercharged guitar. Honey Baby is a classic 12 bar blues and ace guitarist McKeon really knows how to crank it up. The driving blues rock of I Used To Have Something allows him to rip it up on the solo and he grinds out another one with more guitar excellence on the eponymous title track.

All The Same is slower than most so far but its powerful Kansas stylings make it stand out in its own rite. The slashing guitar and pounding beat is fast becoming a trademark and this is highlighted on I Can See Through You. Last Thing I Do is a slow, choppy blues and finally, his voice comes into its own. The pronounced solo is effective and the whole thing builds to an ear-splitting crescendo, although my daughter, the music student, will tell me that it is not a crescendo but, in fact, something completely different. Cool Lookin’ Woman is acoustic based blues rock and is sheer class with Jesse Davey guesting on the guitar solo. McKeon shows his grungier side with the grinding rock of Maybe. The sky is the limit for this guy and he just seems to lose himself in the music when he plays. He finishes with Fuzz Six Six Six and you can just stomp your way through this wonderful instrumental.

At the age of 21, Scott McKeon may have a long way to go but what a start this is to his journey.

http://www.scottmckeon.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Eric Gales – The Psychedelic Underground (Provogue Records).

Dutch based Provogue Records are slowly building up an impressive roster of blues guitarists and Eric Gales is one of a number of high class axe men currently on offer. The Psychedelic Underground is the follow up to his critically acclaimed Crystal Vision and places him firmly in the higher strata of modern bluesmen. Eric has been gradually gathering a reputation since being voted as Guitar World’s Best New Talent in 1991 and fans include Carlos Santana, Keith Richards, B.B. King and Eric Clapton. The Psychedelic Underground opens with Wake Up Call and I dare you to sleep through this wall of sound as Eric scorches his guitar. He keeps up the aural assault on Rumble. He plays guitar left hand, upside down and is the frontman of a trio so comparisons to Jimi Hendrix obviously come to mind. There are no arguments from me on that count, anyone for a rumble? Day Of Reckoning is a funky blues with a barnstorming solo and I’ve Got Something On You has as powerful an opening as I’ve ever heard. This is churning guitar rock with another of the now obligatory top-notch solos. Dark Corners Of My Mind is a contemporary, slick blues and Pretty Lie returns to the raucous blues rock side of the tracks.

The title track is played in classic Hendrix style and confirms Gales’ place in my current top 10 blues guitarists. Eric continues in the blues rock field with Circling The Drain and this rolling blues has wailing, fuzzed guitar breaks that will have you yelling for more. He does not just stay with the blues as shown by Honey In The Comb, a rock song with a bit of soul thrown in a la Kravitz. Someday is a bouncing blues that is simple and straightforward. It has all the usual guitar wizardry and Thomas Pidgen on drums and Steve Evans on bass are the solid rock for Gales to build on. Cross The Line is archetypal blues rock with guitar and pounding rhythm section to match. He closes out with Someone Else’s problem which surprisingly has a slight country feel to it but his classic styling leaves us with a stylish, solid finish.

There are a number of excellent blues guitarists out there and I’ve just found another one.

http://www.ericgales.net/
http://www.mascot-provogue.com/

David Blue.

Julian Sas – Resurrection (Provogue Records).

Julian Sas is considered to be one of the best live acts on the blues-rock scene in The Netherlands and Resurrection is his first assault on the rest of the world. Starting with Moving To Survive, a fast blues rock with incisive guitar licks akin to Rory Gallagher and Gary Moore, Sas sets out his stall with nine original songs. I love slow burners and Burnin’ Soul is one of the best that I’ve heard. The band plays in the classic power trio format with Rob Heijne on drums and Tenny Tahamata on bass. Slide guitar from Sas is most welcome and, on this, he shows his class. Runnin’ All My Life is powerful blues influenced rock and he’s made the transition from being a big fish in the small pond of Dutch blues to swimming with the bigger fish very well. He has nothing to worry about and he is so easy to listen to. The obligatory power ballad comes in the form of All I Know as Sas strokes his Strat on this 7-minute epic. His sanguine vocal is well suited here and there’s a telling guitar break.

Ain’t No Change is standard fare as far as blues rock goes and the eponymous title track stays on the rock side of the blues with fuzzed guitar. He’s managed to keep his standards high throughout the album and Stranded is another high-class song even if the Bon Jovi style ballad isn’t quite in the same sphere vocally. Junkies Blues is a gritty blues and the band play it extremely well. The only drawback is that it is let down by the vocal, which happens a little too often on this album. He closes with another 7-minute epic that embodies everything a power trio should be, gentle in places and powerful in others. This is, quite simply, three players at the top of their game.

http://www.juliansas.com/
http://www.mascot-provogue.com/

David Blue.

Gonstermachers – The Gonstermachers (Own Label).

Let’s get the name thing out of the way first. Gonstermachers take their name for a derivation from the Yiddish Gantseh Macher, which means ‘big shot’. One listen to this album justifies the name. The Syracuse-based quartet open with The Night Sam Cooke Died, which is sombre and uber-slow yet there are so many things going on. It’s spiritual and fits together very well. They are more upbeat on My Sister She’s Not A Dollar. One of only three songs on the album not written by the band, this has strong rhythms and a laconic vocal with an interesting drum segment just beyond halfway. Danse Le Macher is a funky blues with excellent harp. The band all gets to go through their paces but they are not a conventional band by any manner of means. A list of their instruments is testament to that! Gonstermachers have the ability to surprise you at every turn. The song builds up to a peak at the end. The pace remains on the fast side on Cool Down Here and Curtis Waterman on harmonica is a star – his tonguing is extraordinary. This is a growling success and fun time music. Left Handed Man has a primeval feel with its evocative, fuzzed vocal but should be classed as modern day Delta blues.

Lowdown On The Blowdown is a fast paced harmonica and guitar blues. It’s a great base to work from and I’m sure that this will be a great club favourite. The second of Les Danse’s is Danse Les Negres. This is more humorous and is solidly played. Saint Sebastian has a slow, funereal feel as well as a slight tip of the hat to Johnny Cash. The funky flute and drum make for a fine addition to a fine album. Title of the year, so far, has to go to Gasstationchickendinnerromance, a virtually spoken blues with Waterman the star of the show yet again. They close with an oldie, Saint James Infirmary, and it’s even slower than most of the more well known versions. Curtis Waterhouse gets top marks again and I’m left to wonder how he manages to reach some of those notes as the song reaches a fantastic crescendo. Leo Candrall, Hymie Witthoft and Richard Curry make up the quartet and are equally adept at bending their instruments to achieve some extraordinary sounds. The whole album reeks of small town America, as imagined by this small town Scotsman.

Blues fans beware, Gonstermachers have arrived!

http://www.gonstermachers.com/

David Blue.

Ian Parker – Where I Belong (Ruf Records).

It’s been some time since I reviewed Ian’s album Inside and he’s been off reconnecting with his blues roots in the USA along with Aynsley Lister, amongst other things. Where I Belong is the culmination of two years worth of finding himself and a re-evaluation of his blues and soul heroes in addition to those influences of a less bluesy origin. The eponymous title track is a mid-paced R&B opener and its repeating theme is a good base to start from. He has already shown that he has matured both as a songwriter and musician. Your Love Is My Home has a cool BB King style opening and this sophisticated, blues influenced, soul flecked feast is a treat to the ears. Parker shows that he can get down and dirty on the medium paced rocker, Until You Show Me. This has gritty vocals, via voice box, and a powerful guitar solo and they contribute to a well written, excellently performed song. Coming Home has the surprise inclusion of flugelhorn and has Parker on acoustic guitar. This is a slow burner and suits his now distinctive vocal that sets him apart from the rest of the field. A special mention has to be made for the on-form drummer, Wayne Proctor. Waste My Days is a little bit of boogie and will get the crowd going with its great sing-along chorus.

Sweet Singing Sirens is an excellent example of Parker’s particular form of song writing and this chugging R&B rocker has some great harmonica licks from Dave Jenkins in addition to some screaming guitar from Parker. He finally turns to the blues, albeit 60s British blues, for Love So Cold. His voice is so suited to this and it rocks. It’s raunchy, moody and mean and provides some of his best guitar work. We’re now in full flow as Parker cranks it up for Before Our Eyes. This is an out and out rocker and he should make no apologies for that. The sophisticated Don’t Hold Back would be great for a small, intimate venue, especially with Parkers emotional vocal. It’s back to the rock arena for another chugger; the blues influenced You Could Say. This has more blues elements than most of the other tracks and is a good old foot stomper. He finishes with Told My Girl To Go Away, which flits between acoustic and electric but the acoustic slide is well worth waiting for. Wayne Proctor is again excellent and Parker saves one of his strongest vocals for the finale. The whole thing builds up into a top class blues rocker and is a fine way to end the album.

There’s something her for most people and I’m sure that Ian Parker will win many new fans with it.

http://www.rufrecords.de/
http://www.ianparkermusic.com/

David Blue.

Dave Arcari – Come With Me (Buzz Records).

This is Radiotones’ frontman Arcari’s first solo outing and, whilst there are many lamenting the lack of new Radiotones material, Dave does transfer the ethos of the band into his solo performance. He opens with Red Letter Blues and delivers in his own inimitable, unpretentious style. Arcari is known for his lightning guitar delivery and gruff vocal and I have to ask the question, is it possible for him to be any gruffer than he is here? He attacks his guitar with vigour and confirms his status as the gaffer of alt.blues. Another Chance is a Radiotones favourite and carries over well from the full band format. However, I have to say that I prefer the original group version. He plunders the Radiotones back catalogue on a number of occasions and Bring My Baby Back is one that does really well in the solo form. Dave’s guitar playing has tightened up and he’s sounding better than ever. He is, however, still an acquired taste. He continues to raid his back catalogue to great effect with Troubled Mind. He’s at his growling best here for this walking pace offering but the less dedicated may lose patience with it though. The sedate pace continues with the eponymous title track that harks back to primeval delta, old man on the porch kind of blues but I’m not suggesting that Mr Arcari is old, not by any means! Dreamt I Was 100 is a folk blues with a good story. It is contained, restrained and one of the highlights of the album.

The old Mississippi John Hurt classic, Stagolee, gets the Arcari treatment and, although I have heard many versions of this song, I am always surprised at how many different interpretations that are produced. This is as good as any that I have heard as Dave turns to standard acoustic guitar and shows that he can remove the aggression from his voice when he wishes to. He’s starting to play in more recognised blues formats now and the first of two Willie Johnson songs Nobody’s Fault But Mine is another strong performance. I have to admit that Going To See The King, the second Willie Johnson song, is one of my favourite songs, especially when covered by Radiotones. Dave’s solo version is very good but again I prefer the full band as it just gives it a different dimension. Arcari returns to the ‘in your face’ style for Gravel Road but he’s still holding back a little and only starts to really rip it up again on Cool Friend Blues where he shows that he’s an artist that does not try to hide. She’s Gone is another Radiotones favourite. This is Scottish blues, par excellence and the solo version is great. I’ve heard Devil Got My Woman live (as I have with most of the others) and it should be one of the things to do before you die. The recorded version does not do it enough justice, good though it is. Dave finishes with Project Blues and, like the rest, this is short and to the point. Is this what the Delta blues players of yore would be playing if they had their time now? Probably!!

This is music as it should be, every now and then – raw and naked.

http://www.davearcari.com/
http://www.thebuzzgroup.co.uk/

David Blue