Devon Allman – Turquoise (Ruf Records).

Being the son of a Rock legend doesn’t guarantee you success but Devon Allman has enough talent to make it on his own. Fresh from his collaboration with Cyril Neville and others in Royal Southern Brotherhood, Allman releases his debut solo album for Ruf Records. With a crossover between Country (When I Left Home and Don’t Set Me Free), Soul (Into The Darkness) and Rock (Homesick, Strategy and Tom Petty’s Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around)Allman delivers an album that you can use to rock out to or find your mellow side. Santana style guitar, excellent backing vocals from Samantha Fish and songs that make you feel at ease are trademarks.

 

www.rufrecords.de

 

David Blue.

Bart Walker – Waiting On Daylight (Ruf Records).

Gritty Southern Stateside Blues your thing? You’re in for a treat.  Whether it’s Blues fuelled Rock such as Black Clouds and Gotta Be You or the upbeat R&B of JB Hutto’s Hipshake, it’s the power of Walker’s guitar that hits home. Girl You Bad and Mary & Me showcase his slide playing and there’s ZZ Top influences on Took It Like A Man and Happy. The title track has echoes of Slowhand himself and the closer, Greg Allman’s Whippin’ Post, is a slow burner, building to a climax before finishing softly. From the home of Country, this is a contemporary Bluesman par excellence.

 Move over Simpson, Walker’s the new Bart in town.

 

www.rufrecords.de

 

David Blue.