Marcus Bonfanti -- What Good Am I To You (The Guitar Label).

This is 27 year old Londoner Bonfanti’s second album and follows on from 2008s promising debut, Hard Times. That debut gave rise to a new British voice demanding to be heard and the follow up confirms that the voice has arrived. Bonfanti was once described as the love child of Tom Waits and Van Morrison and also the person to fill the gap between Seasick Steve and Jack Johnson. Time will tell (not on the love child thing though!) The grinding opener, Will Not Play Your Game is acoustic led and Bonfanti’s silky voice will win you over immediately. He then slips seamlessly into Goin’ Down, a mid-tempo boogie which will have you believing that you are listening to someone from the deep South (USA, that is). Messin’ Round No More is a strolling blues whilst Devil Girl is more of a contemporary acoustic blues.

Don’t Wanna Come Home is so laid back and superbly understated whereas Tweed Blazer is a high octane rock and roller much akin to Pat Travers Hot Rod Lincoln era. This guy is not all front, he can really can play. Get Behind Me confirms that I can do little pigeonholing on him as he can turn his hand to anything and can be quite unique when he wishes. The eponymous title track has him switching from acoustic to electric effortlessly and the superb God Only Knows is played on harmonica only with Bonfanti’s soulful voice a classy counterpoint. Give Me Your Cash is a pulsating blues rock which confirms his excellent vocal range. The gentle acoustic tones of Bleecker Street and Sweet Louise finish the album off in old style magnificence.

I would say that Marcus Bonfanti has arrived.

http://www.marcusbonfanti.com/
http://www.theguitarlabel.com/

David Blue.

Luther Allison – Songs From The Road (Ruf Records).

It’s hard to believe that Luther Allison died over 12 years ago as I remember reviewing him just around the day he died. This latest set, recorded for Canadian Television just 4 days before he had to cancel his tour in 1997 and never to return to the stage again, runs for 90 minutes on CD and 56 minutes on DVD. Cancel My Check has a long guitar intro that sets the scene. Luther then adds his dulcet tones to his outstanding guitar for a storming start to this CD & DVD set. Living In The House Of The Blues is a standard electric blues performed by an above standard musician. What Have I Done Wrong (an often asked question) has Luther funking it up a little and he plays with such energy and Will It Ever Change has some superb guitar work as he sets the fret board on fire.

You Can, You Can is a swinging blues whereas There Comes A Time has a bit of audience interaction as Luther virtually talks his way through the song. The latter adds some funky keyboards and a bit of swing. Allison’s guitar always reminds me of BB King and sometimes even his voice does too. He even makes his guitar talk towards the end. (Watching You) Cherry Red Wine is a big, powerful instrumental that shows Allison at his best. Low Down & Dirty, written by his son, Bernard, is energetic and adds to a great build up to the end of the album It Hurts Me Too is a famous old song and Allison treats it well and he finishes with the funky and gritty Serious, keeping it short, unlike most of the others.

http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue.

Danny Bryant’s Redeyeband – Just As I Am (Continental Blue Heaven).

British guitarist Danny Bryant has released six albums prior to his latest, Just As I Am, and the new album contains 8 new songs along with a cover of John Hiatt’s Master Of Disaster. Shut Out The Light is a standard rocker to open with and Bryant sets the standard with a searing guitar solo. Blues For Buddy is a big, ballsy blues, just like Buddy Guy. For The Last Time is a rock ballad and Every Time The Devil Smiles is a slow, blues rocker to rival the best in the genre.

The big production on the eponymous title track leads into John Hiatt’s Master Of Disaster, which is not a heavy rocker as you may have expected from the title. It has a strained vocal but it is appealing in a certain way and this will be a grower. The raunchy Day By Day is an excellent example of Bryant’s guitar work and he will beat you into submission as he slugs his way through The Hard Way. The 8 minute epic, Alone In The Dark is slow and powerful with a big guitar solo to finish. Bryant’s voice may not be the greatest but it is strangely effective and he has honed this and his superb guitar playing over a career that has yielded in excess of 2,000 live shows so far. I think Danny Bryant will be around for quite some time yet.

If you want to find out how far Danny and his band have come then check out his excellent 2002 debut album, Watching You, which was recently re-released on the Roots Collectibles label. Highlights on the album are Since You’re Gone and Purple.

http://www.continental.nl/
http://www.redeyeband.co.uk/

David Blue.

LZ Love & Lightning Red – Gut Bucket Blues (Own Label).

LZ Love has an impressive list of artists that she has sung and toured with including Joan Armatrading and Luther Vandross but she has returned to her blues and gospel roots to team up with guitarist Lightning Red. The opening Been Lonely is drawled out and LZ has such a soulful voice. Red strums away in the background and adds some background vocals towards the end. You can feel her pain with every syllable. Wang Dang Doodle is the famous old Willie Dixon song with Howlin’ Wolf’s version being the best known. This version is earthy and highlights LZ’s powerful voice. Live No More is a pleasant Country blues with Red taking the lead vocal but LZ returns for the plodding Something Good. The title doesn’t really fit the song as this is nothing special.

Backyard Boogie is a bit more like it. A slide blues instrumental and well played by Lightning Red. Baby, What You Want Me To Do is a Jimmy Reed song and Red deals with it is a suitably stand off manner. Can’t Help Myself tends toward Delta blues – a good track with an ethereal feel. Cotton Pickin’ is another slide instrumental and Red keeps up the high standard. He takes the vocal again on Gates Of Heaven, a Southern blues rocker which could easily be a big Lynyrd Skynyrd style song given the correct production.

http://www.lz-love.com/
http://www.lightningred.com/

David Blue.