Blue Mother Tupelo – Heaven & Earth (Diggin’ Music).

Tennessee husband and wife duo Ricky and Micol Davis’ third album has been mastered by Motown legend Bob Ohlsson who worked on many of Stevie Wonder’s hits. Heaven & Earth bears the Ohlsson stamp but is very far removed from those Wonder tracks. Always Lookin’ is a mid-paced Country rocker with a little funk on the side. A rasping vocal from Micol Davis makes for a good opening. The slow and hypnotic eponymous title track is played on piano and there is something spiritual about it. Give It Away/Hard Times has a grinding boogie slipping into a rhythmic Delta blues before reverting back to some grinding to finish the duet of songs off. The War is a beautiful piano ballad and their voices work well together on Goin’ Down Midnight, a mid-paced rocker. Wandering Soul is gentle Americana and so easy to listen to. Tupelo sees the introduction of saxophone to back up the slide guitar all played in a laid back Southern US style.

Ramblin’ Train is a bit heavier and darker than its predecessors although it is a bit out of sorts with the rest of the album. There is some more gentle Americana in the form of the Jesse Winchester written Biloxi and their strong harmonies underpin a classic Southern Country rock on Hand In Hand. The traditional I Wish I Was In Heaven Sitting Down brings Janis Joplin to mind and the gentle High In The Sky is much akin to Krista Detor in its execution. Runnin’ Around is rousing, rocking Country and they finish with the swamp music of Gustard Bellue. This is a jaunty end to an overall excellent album and it is split into two tracks, in effect. There are children singing on the second part and dogs barking in the background which gives a homely feel. To give more of a background, Gustard Bellue is the dog of the story – imagine calling out for him in the park!!

http://www.bluemothertupelo.com/

David Blue.

Patrick Vining Band featuring Mike Bourne – Atlanta Boogie (Blues Boulevard).

An Atlanta native, Patrick Vining has been playing music since he was a child but it was only when a friend played him a Muddy Waters record that he knew that he had to sing the blues. That love of the blues continues with his latest album, Atlanta Boogie, which opens with a Kansas City style blues, Everybody Knows. Vining has one of those lived-in voices and Mike Bourne’s sharp guitar compliments it very well. Chicago blues man Bourne is steeped in the styles of Chicago and Kansas City and has now relocated to Atlanta to join up with Patrick Vining. Last Night is another shuffling blues with New Orleans overtones and highlights Vinings perfect voice for the blues. There is some good piano work from Matt Wauchope on this one. Tommy Brown joins on vocals for Atlanta Boogie and his is good time music in a rock n roll vein. I’m So Glad is a boogie-woogie and a classy one too with Wauchope is sparkling form.

30,000 Dollar Millionaire is a strolling blues/swing effort and very pleasing to the ear whilst the very good Money’s Getting Cheaper is a mid-paced swing blues. Something is upbeat R&B and Late At Night is a standard slow Chicago style blues. They then throw in Man Of Clay, a fast paced boogie that shows they are comfortable with all forms of the blues. There is a Gospel feel to the beginning of Last Meal. However, this then turns into a rolling blues but it is the organ playing of Wauchope that makes it feel like Gospel. A good, strong finish from a tight band.

http://www.blues-boulevard.com/
www.myspace.com/patrickvining

David Blue.

Philip Sayce – Peace Machine (Provogue).

As a teenager, Philip Sayce was held in such high regard as to be invited to join the Jeff Healey Band and played with them at the Montreux Jazz Festival and many other sold out gigs around the world. After moving to Los Angeles he joined Uncle Kracker and was with the band when they had their massive US number 1 with Drift Away. He then joined Melissa Etheridge’s band and was with her until 2008. Now temporarily on his own, he releases his debut solo album on Provogue, a label that is getting a reputation as the home of guitar players. Peace Machine opens with One Foot In The Grave (not the theme to the popular sitcom), a high energy rocker. Save Me From Myself continues the hard rocking – classic stuff. Slip It Away is a Jimi Hendrix style hard blues which speeds up as Sayce launches into a solo that will take your breath away. The title says it all on Powerful Thing – think Lenny Kravitz and you’ll almost be there. This is followed by the acoustic led Angels Live Inside before he turns the power back on for the ballad, Dream Away and the rock with Sweet Misery.

Blood On Your Hands is a standard rocker but a classy example of one. Sayce doesn’t go in for too many solos but he puts in a good one here with touches of Bon Jovi. Cinnamon Girl is a classic Neil Young song and Sayce stays very close to the original feel. It flows well with archetypal riffs helping it to do so – psychedelia lives! The acoustic led Over My Head is a classic American MOR rock tune and Sayce finally unleashes his guitar as he builds the song layer by layer. Alchemy is a slow, bluesy instrumental which showcases his playing ability and it works very well. All I Want is another Lenny Kravitz style rocker and Morning Star stays in the same mould. Sayce is very easy to listen to although he is getting more and more adventurous as the album goes on. The title track has echoes of Foxy Lady at the beginning before going onto a heavy blues riff. This is a big, blues rocker and a feast of guitar playing. The bonus track, Arianrhod is another instrumental to satisfy the guitar lovers. Sayce uses just about every effect pedal in his collection. At over 7 minutes, it has a bit of a break just after 4. He then goes off into what is effectively a reprise of the title track, this time played on dobro.

Philip Sayce is a worthy addition to Provogue’s excellent stable of guitar players.

http://www.philipsayce.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.