Friday, September 28, 2007


Matt Andersen – Solo At Sessions (Own Label).

Canadian Andersen is a five year veteran in the music business and this comes across in his latest album, Solo At Sessions. He has an acoustic start with Leavin’ Blues and it highlights his silky voice and 12 string guitar. It’s a straightforward swinging blues. The Bill Withers classic, Ain’t No Sunshine is given a good treatment. Andersen’s voice is well suited to the song and he is an excellent live performer. He produces some frenetic guitar on this superb version. When My Angel Gets The Blues is a return to the 12 string guitar is more nu-country than blues. He is a particularly good singer, much like his Australian contemporary, Derrin Nauendorf. He introduces dobro for I Play The Fool For You nod produces a rousing blues despite the lack of urgency. The reaction of the crowd tells its own story.

He turns in an acceptable country blues on One Size Never Fits before returning to his 12 string for the shuffling blues of Rollin’ Home, complete with fingers of steel. Have You Got The Blues underlines his love of the 12 string and he produces some lovely Gordon Giltrap-esque fills. If I Can’t Have You is folksy but very good, nonetheless. He shows that he can crank up the speed on the breakneck blues of Tell Me. He must have worn out his slide on this and his picking technique is outstanding. He throws in a bit of Deliverance and Smoke On The Water for good measure. He finishes with one of my favourite songs, The Proclaimers’ My Old Friend The Blues. Steve Earle does a great version of this and although Andersens’ version is not as grungy, it is excellent in its own rite.

http://www.stubbyfingers.com/

David Blue.

No comments: