Oli Brown – Songs From The Road (Ruf Records).

Culled from three superb studio albums, this has Oli in front of his hometown crowd. It brings out his best and believe me he is one of the best.  Speechless and Next Girl personify raw power but it is Love Is Taking It’s Toll where the trio flower. Pulsing bass, crashing cymbals and Oli’s lightning fingers provide a highlight. Lengthy solos are provided on Mr Wilson and Manic Bloom but it’s not all power as the strolling Devil In Me and Stone Cold show but his whipping, ripping guitar is never too far away. Credentials confirmed as a live act with Thinking About Her and You Can Only Blame Yourself.

www.rufrecords.de

David Blue.

The New Groove – Quit Bitchin’ (Own Label).

Recording your debut album at the legendary Rockfield Studios is not something that every band gets to do and I feel that The New Groove has missed a trick here. The album starts well with hints of John Lee Hooker and ZZ Top on the boogie laden eponymous title track. Ben Curtis’ gravel voice is well suited to this but it becomes too affected on later tracks. If he can sort out his vocal delivery then they have the chance of reaping some rewards with their second album and if he can turn in a vocal like that of the chorus of Injustice more often we would be in business, especially when it is linked to strong guitar playing from Steve French. Other notable tracks are Give It Time with its Dr Feelgood influenced chopping guitar and the sleazy (in a good way) Money. Rip It Up is harmless Rock n Roll with French’s guitar ringing like a bell, just like Chuck says and Shovellin’ Dirt is almost there but lack of vocal range just lets it down despite harmonica keeping the songs head above water. There’s some good fluid harp on the smokey Blues, If I Had To Leave but an over the top vocal spoils it.

There are some green shoots in here but you have to look hard to find them.

www.facebook.com/thenewgroove

David Blue.

Hamilton Loomis – Give It Back (Ham-Bone Records).

Already a 7 album veteran, Give It Back provides an 8^th dose of ‘funkified Texas music’ and if Funk is what you are after then this is the place to find it. From the funky rocker Stuck In A Rut with its fluid guitar solo through the strong bass of One More Take and the grinding, George Benson sounding Give It Back to the Average White Band influenced Peer Pressure it’s just a joy. Throw in Soul in the form of A Woman Like You, the dirty slow rocker, High and the slashing guitar and fuzzed vocal of Partner In Crime and you have the makings of an excellent album.

www.hamiltonloomis.com

David Blue.

Tess Of The Circle – Thorns (Vintage Voice Records).

Tess is Tess Jones and an impressive circle of musicians brought in to perform his songs. Thorns is produced by BRIT award winner, Chris Potter. However, the album has missed its time or is a resurrection vanguard. To explain; songs like History and Eyes Of A Clown could be seen as old fashioned and certainly not Nu-Folk. Al Stewart, early Chris De Burgh and Gordon Giltrap are brought to mind with Say What You Want (Run) and Girl In The Window the best of the bunch. Vagabonds And Rogues and No Place Like Home could easily fit into a musical. It’s a mixed bag and Tess will divide opinion.

www.tessofthecircle.com

David Blue