Eric Steckel – Feels Like Home (Me & My Blues Music).

Is it me or are blues players getting younger? Eric Steckel is the latest kid on the block and at the age of 17 he is certainly one of the youngest. However, he is already a bit of a veteran having released his debut album when he was just 11. Feels Like Home opens with Just Walk Away, which has power from the outset. Blues rock with a maturity that belies his years. The eponymous title track is sophisticated Southern style rock and shows that he is an extremely talented and classy guitarist. Southern Skyline is an instrumental that highlights his exceptional technique and he is ably backed by Duane Trucks on drums and contributes Hammond organ himself. I haven’t mentioned his voice yet but on the plodding Don’t Look Behind it demands to have the attention taken away from the guitar. The voice will grow as he gets older but the signs are there that he came become a top class all rounder.

He shows that he is as adept on dobro as he is on electric guitar on Smiling Liar and his solo performance on Robert Johnson’s C’mon In My Kitchen is raw and exciting. Something Better is a return to the sophisticated rock of earlier on – a very, very strong performance. From Time To Time is a shuffling blues and is as good as anything in the genre at the moment. Is he a possible successor to Stevie Ray Vaughan? He has every chance. When Ignorance Turns To Bliss is an atmospheric acoustic based blues ballad and the predominately instrumental The Ghetto, led by Hammond organ, is an excellent jazzy offering. These tracks serve to confirm his excellence. He shows he can play acoustic guitar too on the closing track, Tuscany. This is an instrumental that calls up memories of days in the sunshine but seems a strange way to end such a powerful album. I’m not complaining, though.

If you like your guitar licks then check out Eric Steckel, the baby-faced blues assassin.

http://www.ericsteckel.com/
http://www.continental.nl/

David Blue.

Matt Andersen – Bold & Beaten (Own Label).

This six track EP is an excellent introduction to New Brunswick’s Matt Andersen. He opens with the Country and Gospel influenced Come By and if this doesn’t whet your appetite then nothing will. Something In Between is old style Country but it still has that Gospel feel in the background. His velvet voice and superb guitar technique will have you clamouring for more; it has been said that he is one of Canada’s finest guitarists. Bold & Beaten (Acoustic) is New Country this time and this is a lovely, well executed song. Tell Me is a bit of Blues, a bit Rock n Roll and a bit Country. It sounds as if it doesn’t know where to go but as Andersen unleashes his guitar you don’t really care. So Gone Now is acoustic and has the now familiar smokey voice. This is gentle and shows his talent for a poignant lyric. Broken Man is more of the same and I could just listen to that quintessential voice all night.

http://www.stubbyfingers.ca/

David Blue.

Samuel James – Songs Famed For Sorrow And Joy (Northernblues Music).

This is Samuel James’ debut album and at “a few years short of 30” some may say that he hasn’t the experience to sing the blues. However, age is no matter when the music is relevant and, believe me, the music of multi-instrumentalist Samuel James is most certainly relevant. This set of 12 original songs confirms the arrival of a true story teller. The “Here Comes Nina” Country Rag-Time Surprise (the first of many long titles) highlights his dextrous fingers but his voice is different to what I expected from looking at him on the sleeve. There is nowhere to hide when it is just you and your guitar but James dishes up a spectacular opening. I’m back to the voice for Sunrise Blues. It definitely belies his years and this hypnotic Delta blues is of the highest order. Big Black Ben has slide guitar and the high standard is maintained. Sugar Smallhouse Heads For The Hills is exciting and vital as he turns his hand to the banjo. Wooooooo Rosa is an instrumental and James gives a master class in dobro slide playing. This is followed by the very short One-Eyed Katie, which continues his talent for keeping the listener interested.

It could be very easy to become bored just listening to one man but his variety is exceptional. Mid-December Blues – I get them, doesn’t everyone is a gentle country blues and is a great counterbalance to some of the other more in your face numbers. Sugar Smallhouse And The Legend Of The Wandering Siren Cactus (recurring theme?) has a virtually spoken lyric but it fits like an old shoe. Sleepy Girl Blues has a bit of pace injected on the slide and Baby Doll has some old style guitar picking. Both show what a true technician he is. He slows it down for the instrumental Runnin’ From My Baby’s Gun Whilst Previously Watchin’ Butterflies From My Front Porch – easily the longest blues title I’ve ever come across. However, he builds it up so that it sounds like bees rather than butterflies at one point. Love & Mumbly-Peg shows that he does old style with real style and The Sad Ballad is a railroad song with his guitar taking the part of the train.

Samuel James is already a true master and this is one of the best debut albums that I have ever heard.

http://www.northernblues.com/

David Blue.

Dr John And The Lower 911 – City That Care Forgot (Cooking Vinyl).

There have been many songs written in homage to New Orleans following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina but one of the city’s favourite sons has released an album full of them. Dr John is a true veteran of the music business and it has taken this tragedy to stir the passions and produce some of his best music for some time. The mid-paced funk of Keep On Goin’ has the good Dr’s familiar drawl and is laid back in the extreme. Time For A Change features Eric Clapton and Willie Nelson pops up on the Gospel style Promises Promises. Both songs are enhanced by the guest appearances but the spotlight is left to the main man. He opens You Might Be Surprised with the line “Life is a near death experience” and I couldn’t agree more. He delivers this message in his own inimitable style and you just sense that underlying feeling of caustic wit in everything that he does. Dream Warrior is a slow groover with a deep bass line – so smooth.

The funky Black Gold brings a true New Orleans feel to the proceedings and there is more funk on offer with We Getting’ There, on which Terence Blanchard guests. Stripped Away grinds away with grungy guitar from Eric Clapton. It is a very punchy and upbeat song and one of the best on offer. Say Whut? Continues the grind but it is slowed down this time. He doesn’t hold his punches as his political leanings come to the surface. My People Need A Second Line is more conventional and sweetly soulful. This breaks into true New Orleans jazz from James Andrews and Trombone Shorty with about 2 minutes to go. He is becoming more angry and political and Land Grab has a sense of release with its soaring trumpet. The title track is very easy going but don’t let that fool you, this is a very serious song! The guest appearances by Eric Clapton, again, and Ani DiFranco give it that gravitas. There is a touch of Creole with Terence Simien to finish with on Save Our Wetlands.

This is an album to make you think.

http://www.cookingvinyl.com/
http://www.drjohn.org/

David Blue.