Boo Boo Davis – Name Of The Gane (Black & Tan).

Boo Boo Davis is a true Delta bluesman and one of the last of his generation. A poor childhood meant he couldn’t learn to read or write not that has not kept him down. His latest album for Dutch based Black & Tan opens with Dirty Dog which is, as you would expect from the title, a grungy blues. The pounding beat from drummer John Gerritse is a sign of things to come. I’m Coming Home is even more grungy than the opener. It’s done in a John Lee Hooker style with a fuzzed vocal and added harp from Davis. This highlights how powerful Boo Boo is as a singer. There is some good advice on Stay Away From The Casino and he starts to funk things up a little with some pace also injected. However, the repetition made me take a little time to warm to it. Want Nobody Tell Me How To Live My Life is a more straightforward harmonica and guitar blues and Boo Boo finds a groove on Tryin To Get Ahead. The Chicago blues of the eponymous title track has a prominent harmonica and a beefy vocal.

Who Stole The Booty is a contemporary blues with overcharged guitar and harp. Believe me, this riff will work its way right into your brain. Why You Wanna Do It is more of a soft rock song and although slightly out of kilter with the rest of the album, it does have a very good vocal. Lonely All By Myself is a slow Chicago blues and more than meets the standard with its deep pulsating bass line, even though he doesn’t use a bass player! It’s A Shame is an upbeat blues with harp to the fore. I just love the energy! Throbbing drums herald I’m So Tired and when the world weary guitar and spoken intro join in then we have a song on our hands. It’s conducted at walking pace throughout and Davis produces one of his best vocals. Hot Foot is a funky grinder and he closes with St Louis Woman, loosely played in the St Louis style. He seems to like the fuzz effect on his vocal and he could be accused of using it too much. Nevertheless, this is a great finish to a top class album.

http://www.black-and-tan.com/
http://www.booboodavis.com/

David Blue.

Matt Andersen – Something In Between (Own Label).

This is Matt Andersen’s first full length album recorded in the UK and he has used Eric Clapton’s post-Cream band (Norman Barrett on guitar, Dave Markee on bass, Henry Spinetti on drums and Dan Cutrona on keyboards) to do so. The big Canadian is also a prolific tourer and has shared a stage with Little Feat and Randy Bachman to name but two. Come By is unashamedly country but with a little Gospel thrown in. The eponymous title track continues with the country theme, acoustically this time and with a characteristically strong vocal. Working Man Blues is back to electric and is a storming blues. There is nothing flamboyant here but it is full of innuendo such as “I’ll be your mechanic, I’ll make your motor run”. He’s swapping electric with acoustic with aplomb and So Gone Now is the real Matt Andersen. Solemn voice and a touching song shows that simple is often best. Stay With Me is not The Faces classic but a country rock effort that is not unpleasant. Better Man Blues is a smooth rolling blues that drips off the tongue and produces some of the strongest guitar work so far.

Lonesome Road sounds like it should be a country song and you won’t be disappointed. It is fast paced and extremely good. John Fogerty’s Wrote A Song For Everyone is folk rock that verges on country and manages to sound like The Band at their height. Broken Man is so heart aching and shows what a consummate songwriter Andersen is. It is just him and his guitar and this is him in his element. Tell Me is country boogie, good time music with a big guitar sound. How I Wish is very, very good country and Baby Come Back Home is a jazzy blues with smooth guitar lines. Bold And Beaten is from the album taster and has that smoky tone to his voice when he needs it. He adds strings to make a great gentle folk/country crossover and an excellent finish to an excellent album..


http://www.stubbyfingers.ca/
David Blue

Jon Cleary & The Absolute Monster Gentlemen – Mo Hippa Live (FHQ).

Erstwhile Bonnie Raitt pianist, Jon Cleary also has a burgeoning solo career ably backed by the wonderfully named Absolute Monster Gentlemen. Cleary is much respected in blues, soul and funk circles and this live album confirms that status. The smooth and funky Go To The Mardi Gras is an updated Professor Longhair song with a great bass line from Cornell Williams. Cleary has a silky voice that just oozes over you and the song is just simply New Orleans summed up in 6 and a half minutes. They step up the funk on People Say and provide ample vocal harmonies at the same time. Jon Cleary is, as we know, an excellent piano player and his tight band helps him to rip it up. Cleary introduces Eddie Christmas on drums and he is a newcomer with a big future as he shines on C’mon Second Line. This is funk and boogie-woogie of the highest order. I first heard Professor Longhair play Tipitina on the Live On The Queen Mary album and have been a fan of his ever since. Cleary’s treatment of the song is more funky but manages to stick to the ethos of the Prof. Cheatin On You is so easy on the ear, as are most of his songs.

Port Street Blues is a slow and slinky barroom blues and Help Me Somebody is very soulful and understated. There is not a whisper in the crowd as Derwin Perkins plays a lovely solo on guitar. He does build things up toward the end of the solo and gets his much deserved praise. Groove Me has us back in the New Orleans groove again. Cleary’s voice is like treacle and his fingers are as quick as Usain Bolt! When U Get Back features electric piano and is soul of the highest standard. This is music to get horizontal to and the jazzy interludes make it a true joy, overall. They finish with the title track and Cleary lets the band have a couple of minutes in the spotlight before he comes in with a grinding groove. Funk, soul, this has got the lot and his voice suits it to a tee. A star has certainly been found in the form of Eddie Christmas but Derwin ‘Big D’ Perkins on guitar and Cornell C. Williams on bass are big, big parts of this band too.

http://www.joncleary.com/
www.myspace.com/joncleary

Rainer – The Westwood Sessions Volume 1 (OWOM Records).

10 years after his death, Rainer still has a great affect on those who listen to his music. This album, made from tapes recorded 20 years ago and recently discovered in Tucson, sounds as fresh as music being made today. It can be safely assumed that some of these songs were to be included in a follow up to the 1984 album, Barefoot Rock but they were presumably put away somewhere safe and forgotten about when he finally did release his next album in 1992. The opener, Voodoo Music, confirms that Rainer had his own style but this is just guitar and voice. He does produce a full sound, however, on this straightforward start. Mellow Down Easy has him moving onto electric and with a full band. This has a rockabilly feel to it and all of his eccentricity is here. Wayfaring Stranger is a blues rock with a wailing vocal. It builds well and he keeps his guitar understated as he was not one for big solos. Backwater Blues is so energetic and has great slide guitar whereas Mush Mind Blues is the complete opposite of the preceding track. This is a slow, throbbing blues with the only constant being the high standard of slide guitar. It begs the question -- was Rainer the inventor of Alt.blues?

All Done In sees a return to acoustic and a bit of Alt.country this time. He plays it pretty straight on this and produces a great song. He funks it up big style on Fear and it comes out as Talking Heads with slide guitar – very catchy. The very short Just A Little Bit is a shuffling blues version of the famous song covered by many. This is better than most of the versions that I have heard. There is no doubting his feelings on the very atmospheric Zealots Serve Dogmas (acoustic) although it is instrumental only. Every Body Wants To Go To Heaven is an amalgam of David Byrne, Mark Knopfler and Bob Dylan in the vocal delivery and is an excellent song, well executed. Zealots Serve Dogmas is electric this time and is with a full band. Bruce Halper’s drums add that extra dimension. He saves the best for last and I Am A Sinner is a spiritual, powerful blues that demonstrates a certain vulnerability before his guitar comes more and more to the fore.

I can’t wait for Volume 2!!

http://www.owomrecords.com/

David Blue.

Joe Bonamassa – From Nowhere In Particular (Provogue).

Joe Bonamassa has been hailed as “the new king of the blues” and from what I have seen and heard over the past couple of years, I cannot disagree with that statement. Live albums are not always the best quality but this is a more than ample follow up to his highly acclaimed 2007 album, Sloe Gin. He plunders this and 2006’s You & Me for most of the songs here and it is produced again by the excellent Kevin Shirley. The first CD opens with the electric Bridge To Better Days from You & Me and you couldn’t have a much better introduction to Joe Bonamassa. It’s rocking stuff and he is already playing the crowd. Free’s Walk In My Shadows is a classy walking blues and he has the crowd hanging on his every note. He is so precise on the slow blues of So Many Roads but there is no loss of impact with his power guitar in the live arena. At over 10 minutes, India/Mountain Time is a master class. India is the shorter instrumental intro/outro although it interweaves throughout. This may well become one of Joe’s signature tunes in the vein that Freebird became for Lynyrd Skynyrd for example. John Mayall’s Another Kind Of Love is a funky blues based rocker with a stunning solo although the song is short by Joe’s standards. The title track from his last album, Sloe Gin, reduces the pace a little. I said in my review of that album that this would be a great live track and I was not wrong. This will become another of his signature songs as both power and gentleness shine through. One Of These Days is a throbbing finish to the first CD. There are power chords all over the place as he takes it down in the middle before building it up to a storming slide guitar finish.


The second CD starts with Chris Whitley’s Ball Peen Hammer from his Slow Gin album. It has an acoustic start but it shows the power of the man and is a real crowd pleaser. He follows this up with If Heartaches Were Nickels and stays in the acoustic field. It’s a blues rock and this is what he is best at. There are no big solos here and it is all about the song this time. Woke Up Dreaming is a staple of his live performance and just listen to how fast one man can play an acoustic guitar. Django/Just Got Paid is an epic amalgamation of Joe’s original from You and Me that turns into ZZ Top’s Just Got Paid, a song that he only plays live. He can turn his voice from a whisper to a shout at will. Charley Patton’s High Water Everywhere highlights his acoustic dexterity and superb technique. The song builds slowly as the band pounds away in good style. He gets a big cheer for Asking Around For You so you can tell that this is a fans favourite. This smooth blues shows that he is not all about power but he still finds the space for his incisive guitar and yet another great solo. The set finishes with a medley of Jethro Tull & Yes in the form of A New Day Yesterday/Starship Trooper/Wurm. Seamless transitions are the order of the day and I cannot praise this high enough. This is a guy on the top of his game.

If you haven’t seen Joe Bonamassa live then this will keep you going until you do.

http://www.jbonamassa.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Monte Montgomery – Monte Montgomery (Provogue).

Already in the Top 50 All-Time Greatest Guitar Players, Alabama’s Monte Montgomery is a guitar player’s guitarist. This is his second album for Provogue and showcases 11 original Montgomery songs that reinforce his writing talent and brings it to the same level as his renowned guitar playing. River is, like all of Montgomery’s songs, acoustic based. His use of slide is handled well and the song flows like the mighty Amazon itself. He is a strong contender in the guitar stakes with his wicked flurries. The addition of strings on Let’s Go helps to build a wall of sound. Acoustic guitar is his weapon of choice and he pushes the instrument to its limits. It’s all too easy to forget that he is singing too and he has a great rock voice that shouldn’t be allowed to be overwhelmed by his guitar wizardry. There’s a bit of Sammy Hagar in him and none more so than on Everything About You with its harmonics r us chorus. Company You Keep is acoustic rock of the highest order and his style is just so fluid that it washes over you and you come out so refreshed. The ballads are pleasant enough and the first of these, Love’s Last Holiday, is a prime example.

He lays down some slinky moves on Moonlight Tango, which is as sharp as an Argentinean on speed. Can’t Fool Everyone has a distorted vocal and hi-octane guitar. This should be a great live track. Montgomery goes all smooth and sultry on Could’ve Loved You Forever and as with the previous track, the backing vocal fits perfectly. This has a big chorus and epic guitar. Be Still is a classy acoustic rock with an electrifying solo and How Far is another of the ballads that serves as a good counterpoint to the more hectic stuff. Is it me or does everyone do Little Wing these days? However, Montgomery’s instrumental version is unlikely to be bettered. Taking us from delay and reverb effects at the start to over 10 minutes of superb guitar playing he gives us a true epic in every way. As Crocodile Dundee would say “that’s not a guitar solo – this is a guitar solo”. He closes with Midlife Matinee and although he needed to slow down it is a bit of an anti climax. It’s gentle and there’s nothing really wrong with it but he has set such a high standard with some of the previous tracks.

http://www.provoguerecords.com/
http://www.montemontgomery.com/

David Blue.

Eric Gales – The Story Of My Life (Provogue).

One of five brothers, Eric Gales is from a musical family and released his first album at the age of 16. Six albums later he gives us The Story Of My Life but it is strange that such a relatively young man has chosen to release this title – much the same as people writing autobiographies in their early years. He has many heavyweight fans such as Carlos Santana, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, BB King & Eric Clapton and those names alone should tell you of the talent that Eric Gales has. The follow up to the critically acclaimed The Psychedelic Underground opens with Save Yourself, which is a high impact opener and he has lost none of his power since his last album. His guitar pyrotechnics are just a joy to behold. I Ain’t No Shrink is a funky and slinky blues with the notes just dripping off his guitar. The eponymous title track is a churning blues, plain and simple. Layin’ Down The Blues is sophisticated and Gales has class stamped all over him. The Sound Of Electric Guitar is a festival in your ears so get your fuzz pedals and wah-wah’s out and join in. Gales mimics Jimi Hendrix at the start of Red, White & Blues. He then goes acoustic and turns the whole thing into an 8 and a half minute stadium rocker with a massive electric solo at the end. It has got it all!

Very Educated has staccato guitar over a heavy blues rock. It is a fervent attack with a flurry of notes. Cut And Run is a fast paced rocker with searing guitar that must have him in the forefront of the genre now. Borderline Personality is another strong rocker with obligatory raging solo and You Ain’t The Boss Of Me is a slow Chicago blues that confirms his ability to swap genres at will. These tracks contribute to a very strong finish. Bringin’ The Hammer Down is the last official track of the album. It is a pounding blues rock with guitar wizardry a plenty. There are two bonus tracks. The first is You Don’t Move Me with its funked up bass from Jeremy Colson and Steve Evans’ drums beating the rhythm. Gales tries to keep a lid on things but he just can’t help himself. The second bonus track is Gypsy, a mid-paced soft rocker with the trademark guitar flurries.

Eric Gales is knocking very hard on the door of the top guitarists club.

http://www.provoguerecords.com/

David Blue.

Various Artists – Great Rockabilly Volume 2( Smith & Co).

Hard on the heels of Great Skiffle Volume 2, here is the Rockabilly version. Some people might find that the two genres often overlap and they would not be wrong. One came from the other and artists tended to change genres like their socks, although Rockabilly tended not to appeal so much to the mass market. There are, of course, elements of Rock N Roll and Country in here too and it is sometimes impossible to distinguish what is what. As with the other albums in this series there is a wide spectrum of artists and standards on offer but the album does show that Rockabilly holds a firm space in the music firmament.

Some of the songs should be taken for what they are – great songs. Danny Wolfe contributes Let’s Flat Get It and the good vocal harmonies and guitar work makes it a top tune. Warner Mack gives us Roc-A-Chicka and if you ignore the novelty parts and concentrate on what is essentially a rocking good song then you have it. Jimmy Lloyd gives us the mid-paced Where The Rio De Rosa Flows and although this is not like the general Rockabilly genre at all, it is very very good and Sid King gives us Good Rockin’ Baby – slow and classy.

As I have said, Country music features highly in the Rockabilly make-up. Bob Luman sings on the Country side both vocally and musically on Make Your Mind Up Baby. But he also contributes Red Hot which is all Rockabilly. Dennis Herrold is heard on the Country influenced Hip Hip Baby – good chorus. Another strong song from Herrold is Make With The Lovin’. Autry Inman’s It Would Be A Doggone Lie is also from the Country side and a good example. Johnny Cash is about as big a name as you can get and Mean Eyed Cat is more Country than Rockabilly. A class act however. Hey Porter is also included but again, why here?

Rock N Roll is also represented and Janis Martin is one of the few women included but Drugstore Rock N Roll is, as the title suggests, more Rock N Roll than rockabilly. Jack Scott contributes Two Timin’ Woman which is a Rock N Roll crossover but it has that Rockabilly essence. Mac Curtis throws in If I Had Me A Woman which is a good crossover from Rock n Roll to Rockabilly. Sleepy LaBeef is another big name and has a deep vocal on the cusp of Rock n Roll with I’m Through whereas Carl Mann is earthy and has the feel on Gonna Rock N Roll Tonight.

Rockabilly is all about energy and defiance so the sheer energy on Bobby Lee Trammell’s Shirley Lee will knock you out. Johnny Carroll has Wild Wild Women which has plenty of whoops and hollers in a great rockabilly style whilst Kenny Parchman shows vitality on Tennessee Zip. Rudy Grayzell’s Ducktail is more like the rockabilly that is well loved by many -- a screaming vocal and manic guitar are the main components. Jimmy Edwards Love Bug Crawl is surely Jerry Lee Lewis inspired and Ray Harris gives us a version of Greenback Dollar, Watch & Chain in which he certainly has the Rockabilly warble. Curtis Johnson gives us Baby Baby and this has all of the components for a top Rockabilly song. Roz Larne also provides a fine example of the genre on Baby Take Me Back. Wayne Williams has the required energy on Red Hot Mama. Jackie Lee Cochran gives us a classic Rockabilly on Hip Shakin’ Mama and Corky Jones’ Hot Dog has that garage made feel to it.

Some of the biggest names of Rock N Roll and Country are here; Marty Robbins is one of those big names and Long Tall Sally is a big song to go with it. It’s not as energetic as Little Richard but who was? Carl Perkins is perhaps the biggest name in Rockabilly and he shows he is the daddy on Put Your Cat Clothes On – class does show. He also contributes Dixiefried, which is a mid-paced Rockabilly classic. Gene Vincent is one of the greats and Woman Love is trademark Vincent. The voice is there on Gonna Back Up Baby and The Bluecats also start to show signs of their class. Buddy Holly gives us I’m Changing All Those Changes and this indicates what was to come from the great man. His other contribution, Rock Around With Ollie Vee is early but his class shines through. Less famous is Billy Barrix who provides a stuttering delivery, no doubt modelled on Holly, on Cool Off Baby. Charlie Feathers delivers another stuttering vocal on Everybody’s Loving My Baby. Ricky Nelson gives us the blues side of Rockabilly on If You Can’t Rock Me. He also has Boppin’ The Blues but should this really be included on an album of Rockabilly songs? Eddie Cochran is one of the biggest names of them all and 20 Flight Rock was one song that crossed over into popular areas. He gives an understated performance here. Roy Orbison is not a name that you would expect to see here but he turns in a great performance on Mean Little Mama. He also gives us (A Cat Called) Domino but this is not so good. Elvis Presley contributes My Baby Left Me and this is pure class from the first note. He also is included with I’m Left, You’re Right, She’s Gone and although it’s not Rockabilly as such, it does show where his roots were. Johnny Burnette is one of the giants of the genre and Rockabilly Boogie is good but not any better than the best of the others. Also gives us Lonesome Train and he is back on form with just enough emotion in the voice. Billy Lee Riley is one of the best known artists and Pearley Lee has just enough defiance in the voice. One of the first Rockabilly songs that I ever heard was his Flying Saucer Rock – a classic from a master.

There is, of course, a down side and Bobby Sisco is too proper and not nearly wild enough on Go Go Go. Al Ferrier’s Hey Baby is tame and Roy Moss sounds like Vic Reeves’ Shooting Stars pub singer on You’re My Big Baby Now. Billy Wallace is docile on Burning The Wind. Wanda Jackson was one of the few women to make the grade but I Gotta Know flits between country and Rockabilly and really there should be no place for this on this album. Hot Dog That Made Him Mad is poor. Collins Kids – Hop, Skip & Jump is not for me. George & Earl – Done Gone is not defiant enough in the vocal. Sammy Masters performs and energetic Pink Cadillac but it is too clean overall. Jay Chevalier is all over the place on Rock N Roll Angel. Narvel Felts is poor on Cry Baby Cry. Buzz Busby puts it all in for the performance on Rock N Roll Fever but he still doesn’t come up to the standards of some of the others. However, the biggest crime of all is Curtis Gordon’s take on Sitting On Top Of The World and shame on him for taking this blues classic and turning it into a circus.

All things considered there are more plus’ than minus’ and it will be a good addition to the audiophile library.

http://www.smithco.nl/

David Blue.

Oli Brown – Open Road (Ruf Records).

Oli Brown has taken in the influences of the great British blues players of the past and those of his contemporaries such as Aynsley Lister to take up the baton for the 21st century. He has already shared a stage with greats such as Koko Taylor, Walter Trout, John Mayall & Buddy Guy and is ready to take his place in the spotlight. Psycho is a contemporary blues played by a power trio. The rhythm section of Fred Hollis on bass and Simon Dring on drums ably backs Brown’s guitar in its quest for the elusive note. The eponymous title track is a mid-paced grinder with nothing out of the ordinary in the voice. Stone Cold (Roxanne) is a shuffling blues in the Kansas City style and there is no doubting his credentials as he lets it rip on the chorus. The first cover, Can’t Get Next To You has him not really out of first gear yet and this needs a bit of pace injected. It’s another contemporary blues rock with the introduction of Govert Van Der Kolm on organ. Shade Of Grey is slow again and has a spoken vocal intro. It does build a little and turns to the funky side.

All The Kings Horses has a heavy intro and highlights Brown as one of many playing this type of blues at the moment, and he’s certainly not the worst by any manners of means. This has his best guitar work yet and the pounding drums from Billy McLelan breathe life into it as it builds to a fantastic crescendo. Black Betty (yes it is the Ram Jam song) has a drawled vocal and although essentially the same as the Ram Jam cover of Leadbelly’s song, Oli does let himself go -- short and sweet. Missing You is a slow, uncomplicated blues with incisive guitar bursts -- this will be a great live track. New Groove is a beefed up Robert Cray style strolling blues in parts but we have had to wait until Played By The Devil before we get any genuine pace and this is a highlight as he shows how good he really is. Complicated is slowed down again but I’d have rather had him sprinting for the finish although this 21st century blues is a good finish to an intriguing album.

http://www.olibrownband.co.uk/
http://www.rufrecords.de/

David Blue

Doug MacLeod – The Utrecht Sessions (Black & Tan Records).

Recorded in MacLeod’s favourite European city, The Utrecht Sessions sees a consummate songwriter in his prime. Despite the Scottish name, MacLeod is an American, born and bred, although he now spends a lot of time in Holland where he has mastered one word – Heineken. The album was recorded in such a way that it feels live and MacLeod is in his element. The opener, Horse With No Rider, has top class slide guitar and is an authentic blues in every way. It is very contemporary and he is in good voice. He stays with dobro and slide for This Old River which has an emotion laden vocal – this is what it is all about. MacLeod builds on this with The Addiction To Blues, which is more upbeat and shows a true troubadour. The Long Black Train is a familiar subject matter for blues and country artists and he gets the effect of the shuffling train to a tee – very clean sound. The Demon’s Moan has another wailing vocal and the slide is, as it is throughout, top class. Long Time Road is bouncy and energetic with a very familiar sound.

I Respectfully Decline is soulful and mourning with a simple execution which hides the mastery of his instrument. He is a man confident in his own talent and this Americana is how music should be. That Ain’t Right is a country blues with great finger picking, Coming Your Brand New Day is gentle rhythmic blues and Sheep Of A Different Color is a slow John Lee Hooker style blues. What You Got (Ain’t Necessarily What You Own) keeps up the standard although he does lose it a bit on some of the guitar breaks. Where You’ll Find Me is just one man and his guitar – lovely Americana. The enclosed booklet gives little insights such as the guitar tuning for each song and some musings from MacLeod. For a true live experience you can also buy his DVD – The Blues In Me.

http://www.black-and-tan.com/
http://www.doug-macleod.com/

David Blue.

Ben Waters – Hurricane (Hypertension).

By his early 20’s Ben Waters (PJ Harvey’s cousin for those of you that like to know that sort of thing) had already played with some of the giants of British rock such as Mick Jagger and Pete Townshend. He also played at Jools Holland’s wedding and led the great boogie-woogie pianist to say “boogie-woogie is alive and well. Ben Waters has got the touch and feel for it”. A few years on sees the release of his first album for Hypertension. The title track does what it says on the tin – a high octane boogie with twinkle fingers Waters on piano. A bit more vocal attack would have set the song up perfectly, especially on the Beach Boys style chorus. Tiny Planet is another boogie with great interaction between Waters’ piano and Clive Ashley’s saxophone. It is a good piece of social commentary. It’s hard to categorise Booker but it builds well and is an homage to James Booker who had a great influence on the young Waters as well as teaching Dr John and Harry Connick Jnr to play piano. The Sky Fell Down is the most commercial song so far and good enough to match chart bands such as The Hoosiers and their ilk. Helicon Boogie has more piano and sax competition with the sax, played by guest Derek Nash, being more than a match on this intriguing instrumental.

Amos Milburn’s Roomin House Movie is a shuffling boogie and just good time music played for the fun of it. Mother Natures Molecules has increased pace and you certainly can’t criticize his energy. There’s a bit of Nick Lowe in his and partner Richard Hymas’ songwriting style. The Wasp is a high paced boogie-woogie with sax taking the part of the wasp. Waters’ muscles on his left arm must be of Popeye proportions. Who U Lay has funky bass from Hymas and keyboards from Waters and is only one step away from a Steely Dan song. He saves one of his slowest songs to finish with and Inconsequential shows that he has more than one tone to his voice. There are touches of Squeeze in this and the sax fade out is top class.

Jools Holland was correct!

http://www.hypertension-music.de/
http://www.benwaters.com/

David Blue.

Various Artists -- Great British Skiffle Volume 2 (Smith & Co).

I know what you are thinking – how could they get enough tracks to make up a volume 2? You would think that that would be the case but they’ve obviously held over a few top tracks to whet the appetite. Whichever way you think about Skiffle you have to agree that it does have a vital place in British Rock history. There is good and bad and this album has both. From the better Gospel based tracks such as Glory Road by The Vipers (one of the best known bands), Bob Cort’s It Takes A Worried Man To Sing A Worried Song and The City Ramblers Skiffle Group’s Down By The Riverside to the less well performed Toll The Bell Easy from Les Hobeaux Skiffle Group (a very British executed song) and Delta Skiffle Group’s repetitive and second rate Ain’t You Glad, all standards are here. There were many influences on Skiffle and the better tacks include Johnny Duncan’s bluegrass offering, Ella Speed, the Blues of Ken Colyer’s Midnight Hour Blues (just add a washboard and you have Skiffle), Rock n Roll in the form of Dickie Bishop’s No Other Baby, the Country tones of Careless Love by The City Ramblers Skiffle Group, folk from 2.19 Skiffle Group on Texas Lady, boogie-woogie in the form of Bearcat Crawl from Chris Barber and Jazz from Tony Donegan on Yes Suh although the last of these is of particularly poor recording quality.

The one true giant of British Skiffle was, of course, Lonnie Donegan and he has three tracks on offer. He shows us that he was the boss on Midnight Special and Jesse James. However, he is a bit sedate on Stackolee which is Stagolee under a different guise. There are other tracks more associated with Donegan such as Cumberland Gap (The Vipers) and Don’t You Rock Me (Bob Cort) that don’t measure up to his standard. Skiffle influenced many future artists and those include John Lennon who couldn’t have failed to be affected by The Vipers’ Railroad Steamboat, Steamline Train, Hey Lily Lily Lo and Maggie May, part of which ended up on the Let It Be album.

Famous songs include Last Train To San Fernando from Johnny Duncan, New Orleans (House Of The Rising Sun) & The Cotton Song (Cotton Fields), they pronounced their T’s in those days, by Chas McDevitt and Bob Cort’s 6.5 Special. You have to suspend belief at times such as when a very posh British female sings “I was born in East Virginy” on Chas McDevitt’s Green Back Dollar – yeah right! Jimmy Miller tries too hard to be American on Sizzling Hot. All the familiar themes are there including trains in the form of Chas McDevitt’s Freight Train, Sonny Stewarts’s The Northern Line and Railroad Bill by Lea Valley Skiffle Group.

One thing about Skiffle singers was that piercing tone just under the sound barrier that they had and shining examples of that are Johnny Duncan’s Footprints In The Snow and Sonny Stewart’s Black Jack. Ken Colyer’s piano led instrumental, House Rent Stomp has a homemade feel and that, in essence, is what Skiffle was all about. British blues giant Alexis Korner sounds positively amateurish on Roadhouse Stomp but, again it was that which made the genre so widespread. Skiffle really harks back to a previous time and Soho Skiffle’s Give Me A Big Fat Woman would have today’s PC brigade up in arms. Jimmy Jackson’s California Zephyr gives me my biggest problem and, after listening to it a number of times, I am convinced that it reminds me of another, more popular song. Can someone please put me out of my misery?

There is no mistaking the influence that Skiffle had on the musical forms that came after it. This album features some of the best but Frog Island Skiffle Group sum things up on Hand Me Down My Walking Cane. They’ve got the repetition, they’ve got the tone, they’ve got Skiffle!

http://www.smithco.nl/

David Blue.

Storm Warning – Something Real (Own Label).

Storm Warning are a five piece outfit that draw on their diverse musical backgrounds to produce a fluid sound. On The Road opens with echoes of an ancient forest which leads into a joint guitar and harp attack. It’s modern blues with a gruff vocal from Son Maxwell and Bob Moore’s effortless guitar style that can be dressed up when required. Hard To Be A Man has a bit of bounce to it and man fights back during the laconic lyric. Moore’s Vibrant guitar is a standout. Charlie’s Blues is a return to the guitar and harp duet and they have certainly taken the genre into the 21st century. Ian Salisbury’s keyboards are to the fore here to and Maxwell has lungs of steel on the harp. Blues 101 is a harmonica led jazzy blues with numerous references to blues classics that make it a bit of an homage to the great blues poets.

The eponymous title track is a slow blues with sustained guitar but despite the excellent intro it ultimately fails to deliver – patchy. One Step Forward has a snappy acoustic guitar and harp intro that leads us to a fast paced electric burst and manic keyboards. Lucky Peterson’s Nothing But Smoke, the only cover on offer, is another slow one and Bob Moore excels in these. There is a pronounced bass from Derek White and the song is more traditional than most. I Don’t Know has screeching harp and stays on the jazz side of the blues. They are a tight knit unit and Roger Willis on drums keeps them all together. Long Ride is a funky blues to finish with and Moore gets up a head of steam with some excellent flurries.

There is certainly space at the table for Storm Warning.

http://www.stormwarning.co.uk/

David Blue.

BB & The Blues Shacks – Unique Taste (Crosscut Records).

BB & The Blues Shacks have been around for over a decade now and have built a reputation as one of Europe’s foremost R&B/Soul/Blues bands Crosscut Records recognised this and signed them in 2001. Unique Taste is the bands fourth release and they are going from strength to strength, following on from the highly acclaimed Live At Vier Linden. The opener, Keep My Promises is a swinging, rolling R&B and shows the band has moved the focus of their sound to celebrate the 60s. The Fool I Am is a bit off beat at times but this shuffler moves along well. The eponymous title track is a bit of a departure for the band with this R&B leading into soul and Motown. It’s very good in its own way and it has some top Hammond organ playing from guest Raphael Wressnig. I Understand is a powerful, slow blues based ballad much in the style of Robert Cray and Three Handed Woman has a machine gun guitar delivery. Three hands, good or bad – discuss. However, when you find out that her third hand is in your wallet then that may make up your mind! Best guitar playing so far. Fool When You’re Cool is classic R&B and harmless fun and the speed is stepped up for Not The One For You, a fast paced bouncing blues/boogie woogie driven by Bernhard Egger’s drums and Andreas Arlt’s guitar. Little Pins is a slow blues with just guitar and Michael Arlt’s voice for the first minute or so. The band then joins in for an archetypal Chicago blues with strong guitar and piano with Michael Arlt just getting down and doing his stuff, as ever.

Anything But You is a slow, punchy R&B with sleazy vocal and organ. You just know what Arlt is talking about on Like A Woman That Just Bought Shoes, don’t you boys. High energy R&B with Dennis Koeckstadt and Raphael Wressnig on piano/keyboards to the fore again. The short and sweet Cut It! has a staccato guitar which heralds a 60s style instrumental whereas Step Back A Little is a strong soul song with more organ heroics. Tears About To Fall is a rock n roll ballad which, despite the lack of tempo, does swing along nicely. Michael Arlt’s harmonica returns but only serves to highlight its scant use during the album. So Glad I’m On Your Mind is a mid-paced pulsating blues with a stinging guitar solo and Too Fast Living is a slow blues much in the vein of Three Hours Past Midnight. The silky harmonica plays off the stark, snappy guitar. Do My Will has plenty of rhythm. Egger’s drums are the heartbeat of the band; piano and guitar take their place in the spotlight whereas the bass remains in the background but pays his way. The closing track, When The Night Comes Down is a slowish swinging blues with the Andreas Arlt’s guitar the star. However, Koeckstadt pushes him to the limit on the piano.

This album is sure to keep BB & The Blues Shakers in the premier league.

http://www.bluesshacks.com/
http://www.crosscut.de/

David Blue.

Moreland & Arbuckle – 1861 (NorthernBlues Music).

The last two or three years have been a bit of a whirlwind for Kansas City’s Moreland & Arbuckle with performances at several major blues festivals adding to 700 odd gigs in the past five years. They have become renowned for their blistering live performances and are a must see. There is always a nagging feeling for this type of band that they may not be able to turn those electric live performances onto recorded media. Moreland & Arbuckle need not have worried as this, their debut, is a great introduction. Gonna send You Back To Georgia is a heavy duty start with its fast pace, 100% fuzzed slide guitar from Aaron Moreland and harp from Dustin Arbuckle. It’s a great electric blues with Arbuckle also in full voice. Despite the name they are a three piece outfit with drummer Brad Horner making up the trio. Fishin’ Hole is a rootsy blues and confirms that Northern Blues has come up with another star act for their roster. Tell Me Why is mellow and acoustic with Arbuckle’s deep dulcet tones setting it off very well. Chris Wiser guests on organ and joins the harp to introduce Diamond Ring, an earthy, rocking blues. This confirms their status as stars in the making. The quaintly named See My Jumper Hangin’ Out On The Line is a powerful electric blues and The Legend is classic Americana with Arbuckle excelling again on vocals.

Never Far Behind is a fast paced country blues with Moreland’s slide guitar keeping pace with Arbuckle’s vocal. Teasin’ Doney is low key right up to the end where it goes all electric for some strange reason. Not too sure about this one. Please Please Mammy is a Kansas City blues at last, and a good one to boot. Pittsburgh In The Morning, Philadelphia At Night is a classic ‘Woke Up This Morning’ type of blues. It’s grungy and grinding and very heady stuff. Wrong I Do is played on acoustic dobro with sympathetic harp and heartfelt vocal but six and a half minutes of slow jam on Wiser Jam is, unfortunately, ultimately a pointless end to an excellent album.

Their name sounds like a firm of lawyers but don’t let that put you off, this is an excellent band.

http://www.northernblues.com/
http://www.morelandandarbuckle.com/

David Blue.

The Homemade Jamz Blues Band – Pay Me No Mind (NorthernBlues Music).

This has to be the youngest blues band ever! Brothers Ryan (16) & Kyle Perry (13) along with their 9 year old sister Taya are setting the blues world alight. Heavyweights such as BB King and Elvin Bishop have predicted big things for the trio. In fact, they have been invited to play at the opening of the BB King museum in Indianola later this year. This, their debut CD, is already being described as the Holy Grail amongst blues circles. Who Your Friends Are introduces their earthy guitar sound and when your guitars are made from exhausts (mufflers in the USA) then earthy is an understatement. It’s a funky, contemporary blues played by a classic power trio set up with guitarist/vocalist Ryan out front. His voice will get better by age, good as it is at the moment. Voodoo Woman is another funk fest. 21st century blues although the sound is a bit thin at times. This is a criticism levelled at most trios but they have youth on their side and that gives them time to fill out their sound. The Worlds Been Good To You is a slow Chicago blues and the addition of harmonica, played by father Renaud (who also writes their songs), is a pleasant surprise. Ryan Perry is another young guitarist destined for greater things. Right Thang, Wrong Woman (I love the title) is a strong song and they have achieved that fuller sound with the addition of Miles Wilkinson on rhythm guitar. The incisive guitar breaks confirm Ryan is the star of the trio. The pace is slowed for Penny Waiting On Change, a straightforward heartfelt blues. Ever had one of those days when you woke up feeling great but by lunchtime it’s all gone to pot? This is one of those. There’s a flurry of notes in the solo but Kyle on bass is the bedrock on which his brother can do his thang and Taya on drums is more to the front than on most tracks.

Blues Concerto is R&B, old style and the harp returns. The production is lost on a few occasions but it does give each of the band a chance to show off their skills individually. Time For Change has some mellow crossover tones and this will get better as it evolves. A re-working in the future will make it one of their biggest tracks. Pay Me No Mind has the harp being used more and this hi-tempo R&B makes full use of it. Jealous keeps the pace up with stinging notes from Ryan’s guitar. It’s hard to work out their influences but they do this funky blues thing so well. They are a tight unit and the rhythm section backs up the guitarist very well. Shake Rag is a jam and a good one at that with both guitar and harp to the fore. They close with the John Lee Hooker classic, Boom Boom. This is a malevolent song but they don’t really have that kind of streak in them just yet. Deeper vocals are required for this and I’m sure that the great man would have enjoyed singing it with these youngsters.

The album is, quite literally, homemade and I hope that they don’t lose too much of that raw sound as they climb the ladder.

http://www.northernblues.com/

David Blue.

Matt Taylor Band – No Trouble At All (Bluesy Electric Recordings).

The Matt Taylor Band is a well respected outfit on the live circuit and there are times when that vitality does not transfer to the recorded medium. However, Matt’s new album, No Trouble At All, is quite prophetic as he does it with ease. I Found A Love is a dynamic, funky opener and the band has already established their credentials. This is followed by Get Outta My Way, which is one of a number of original songs on offer. It’s a soulful soft rock that leaves you in no doubt about the high quality of Taylor’s guitar playing. Let Your Hair Down is another original and the slow mellow tones could easily be The Eagles or their ilk. The harmonies are top drawer and this one could well become a bit of an anthem. You Are The Only One shows a different facet to his voice as he adds a bit more gravel to the vocal for this blue eyed soul. One of the covers is that of Bob Dylan’s To Be Alone With You. Dominated by Jonny Dyke’s piano, it manages to turn into a 60s R&B. The Open Road has a slow build up but this soft rock offering has such an uplifting chorus.

Hayley Anderson guests on So Far From Home and Taylor goes all Americana and does it very well. The fuzzed vocal is used to great effect. Sheryl Crow’s Everyday Is A Winding Road is given a rootsy treatment and is, it could be argued, more than comparable with the original. Taylor’s not inconsiderable guitar talent is one of the reasons why. Another cover follows in the shape of Greg Allman’s It’s Not My Cross To Bear. This is a soulful blues that builds to a feverish pitch. Snakes is a strange one with a Miami Latin feeling whereas Lovestain is a moody and atmospheric acoustic ballad with Taylor’s soaring guitar ending things perfectly. He gets a jug band feel into No Trouble At All and the fun lasts all the way as he manages to get his guitar to sound like a duck in parts. Three radio edits of You Are The Only One, The Open Road and Everyday Is A Winding Road finish off proceedings.

The Matt Taylor Band makes playing sound so easy, almost no trouble at all.

http://www.matttaylorband.com/

David Blue.

Tony Joe White – Deep Cuts (Munich Records).

Tony Joe White is an acclaimed songwriter with songs recorded by Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Tina Turner and Joe Cocker amongst many others. He is also credited with being one of the originators of ‘Swamp Rock’ and has written some of the classic songs of our time. Set The Hook has deep rich drums from Jeff Hale that lead into jagged guitar and harp. It’s an instrumental opening that is powerful, yet strange. As The Crow Flies makes plenty of references to the blues and White’s deep vocal sets it off perfectly. This is a hypnotic 21st century blues. Willie & Laura Mae Jones has those deep husky tones again and although snappy drums almost mask the blues influences, it pounds and throbs to a climactic peak. Soul Francisco has a futuristic feel with a power that is right in your face. It’s simple, yet effective, guitar is countered by a pounding bass. There’s no real pace about it but the power more than makes up for it.

The instrumental, Run With The Bulls is, as you may expect, Spanish flavoured and High Sheriff Of Calhoun Parish is another easy goer; a Western tale with a deep message. The start of Aspen, Colorado doesn’t hit it off. His voice doesn’t work but does eventually edges his way into it. This is a classic song that is expansive and world weary. Most definitely a grower. Homemade Ice Cream is gently led by guitar and harmonica and this instrumental is one to just laze back and listen to. Swamp Water is a down & dirty instrumental that sums up his raison d’etre. I don’t mean this in a bad way but you can see why others take his songs and have more success with their own interpretations. Take the final track, Roosevelt & Ira Lee for example. He is a bit of a one trick pony vocally and other singers can put their stamp on his songs, which, incidentally, are second to none in terms of quality. This moody offering is a bit of a strange one to finish with.

There is no mistaking Tony Joe White’s contribution to popular music and this selection of songs confirms his sublime songwriting talent.

http://www.munichrecords.com/
http://www.tonyjoewhite.com/

David Blue.

Edgar Winter – Rebel Road (Own Label).

It’s 35 years since Edgar Winter had a hit with Frankenstein and he has been re-inventing himself ever since. His current incarnation takes him closer to his brother Johnny with an infusion of blues rock that breathes freshness into the genre. With guest appearances by Slash, Clint Black and the aforementioned Johnny Winter, Edgar has put together an album of finely crafted songs. The eponymous opener features Slash and is a high impact start with a shout along chorus. It’s a big guitar song with no real sign of Edgar’s famous keyboard skills. Eye On You is a pounding, throbbing rocker -- this is a highlight. Power Of Positive Drinkin’, with Clint Black on harmonica, is potent and has another great chorus along with top class guitar. Freedom is softer and far mellower than those that precede it. It does build up after a sluggish start. Rockin’ The Blues has Johnny Winter stamped all over it and this mean and moody blues rocker allows him to upstage his younger brother.

The Closer I Get is an acoustic ballad that is a bit out of place. Dedicated to his wife, Monique, it’s pleasant enough and does show different levels to his voice. Do It Again has clean lines and this rocker has a full bodied chorus -- another highlight. Texas Tornado has the first real overt signs of keyboards. A gritty vocal and big sax input help to grind this one out. The mid-paced Beatlesque ballad Peace And Love is another of the songs that sounds out of place. His softer tones really don’t do too much here. Horns Of A Dilemma is a welcome return to the raunchy country rock of earlier. This is a good time boogie and Clint Black sets the whole thing off. The final track, Oh No No is another rocking boogie to finish with and it has yet another rousing chorus.

Winter says that his idea was to make a classic American rock album like those of the 70s. Objective achieved, I say!

http://www.edgarwinter.com/

David Blue.

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.