|
 Live
And Havin’ Fun (VizzTone Label Group) is
Deb Ryder’s first live recording and sixth
album overall. Recorded at The Mint in Los
Angeles, the versatile singer is joined by a
core band of Johnny Lee Schell (guitar), Tony
Braunagel (drums), Jim Pugh (keys), Ric W. Ryder
(bass), Tex Nakamura (harmonica), Alan Maggini
(guitar), Lon Price (sax), and Paul Litteral
(trumpet), along with guests guitarists Albert
Lee, Joey Delgado, and Artur Menezes, sax man
Joe Sublett, and guest vocalists Van G. Garrett
and Big Llou Johnson.
The
set includes 14 tracks, all written by the
Ryders. 12 of the tracks appeared on Ryder’s
five previous releases (all worth a listen, if
you’re new to Ms. Ryder). The smoldering title
track to her 2013 release, Might Just Get
Lucky, is a highlight, thanks to her smoky
vocal delivery, while the 2015 release Let It
Rain is represented by a pair of tracks, the
second line stepper “Ma Misere” (also featuring
Albert Lee’s guitar) and the slow blues “Guilty
As Sin.”
Grit Grease & Tears, from 2016, provides one
track, but the Texas roadhouse boogie rocker,
“Prisoner Of Love, is a keeper. Enjoy
The Ride, from 2018, gives us the blues
rocking title track, the gritty shuffle
“Temporary Insanity” (another Lee track), the
soulful rocker “Bring The Walls Down,” with
Garrett and Johnson joining Ryder on vocals and
Delgado contributing guitar, and the soul rocker
“Goodbye Baby,” with Menezes on guitar.
Ryder also presents four tracks from her 2021
release, Memphis Moonlight --- the
relentlessly funky “Get Ready,” the mid-tempo
soul burner “I’m Coming Home,” the rough and
ready blues stomper “Hold On,” and the rowdy
rocker “Blues Is All I Got,” the set closer that
leaves the fans wanting even more.
The
two new tracks are the rousing, soul-infused
opener “Fun Never Hurt No One,” with Sublett
guesting on sax, and the greasy blues shuffle
“Any Bottle On The Shelf,” highlighted by Lee’s
third appearance, with the rest of the band
taking a few moments in the spotlight as well.
On
Live And Havin’ Fun, it sounds like Deb
Ryder, the band, and the audience were all truly
having fun. This set is a great collection of
this marvelously talented singer and
songwriter’s best work, and old fans and new
ones alike will enjoy listening.
--- Graham Clarke
 Cooking With Gas (CD Baby)
is the latest from harmonica player
extraordinaire
Big
Harp George. If you are familiar with BHG
from his previous work, you know what to expect
--- a selection of novelty songs (and the album
cover gives that away) to go with straight-ahead
blues featuring plenty of great harp playing,
often using his chromatic harmonica, as well as
a boisterous horn section.
The
album was recorded at the now famous Greaseland
Studios in San Jose, California, with the expert
contributions of Kid Andersen evident
throughout. In addition to Andersen on guitar,
other backing musicians are many of the usual
Greaseland cats --- Derrick D'Mar Martin and
June Core (drums), Joe Kyle Jr. and Jerry
Jemmott (bass), Chris Burns (piano and
producer), Mike Rinta (trombone), and the Sons
of the Soul Revivers (backing vocals).
George's tongue-in-cheek style is evident on the
opening number, the up-tempo blues title cut,
with Burns shining on piano. The humor continues
with the mid-tempo blues, "Cellphone Hater," a
lament about the loss of privacy due to the
prevalent use of cellphones in our current
society. "Doom Loop" opens with a salsa beat
behind George's chromatic before the sound
shifts to slightly resembling a mix of past TV
show theme songs.
"Wine Is My Friend" is a slow blues with the
background vocals of the Sons of the Soul
Revivers reminding of classic Five Royales.
"Awkward Me" is Geroge's self-deprecating
introduction to himself, wrapping harmonica
riffs around his vocal lines. Great trombone
solo from Rinta later in the song, and he also
plays a big part in the happy feel of "What The
Missus Misses." We also get a return of the
backing singers taking this one back to the
sound of the '50s.
Another salsa-ish intro pops us into the fun "DIY
Mama," with Andersen getting the space for
several ripping guitar solos. "Paradise Is
Burning" is a slow, snaky blues that allows
George to pour his emotions into the lyrics
throughout.
The
final vocal number here is one of the best, the
mid-tempo shuffle "The Older We Get," on which
he sings about how we enhance the memories of
our former selves as we age. As George tells us,
we become legends in our own minds.
Among the three instrumentals, the funky "Maceosity"
continues the idea that this band could have
been doing TV theme songs in the 1970s, this one
giving the vibe of a police series featuring a
black officer who always takes chances and his
crusty, uptight by-the-rules partner. "June's
Tune" has George taking the lead on harmonica,
while Burns comes in later with an organ solo.
"When I First Held Valerie," the album closer,
starts with a slow tempo based around George's
tasteful harmonica before Burns takes over on
piano to dominate the tune to its conclusion.
Cooking With Gas is typical Big Harp George
--- goofy at times with plenty of good blues, a
tight band that gets plenty of room to shine,
and outstanding harmonica playing from start to
finish
--- Bill Mitchell
 Brick By Brick is the first album released
by J.P. Soars on the Little Village
Foundation label, and it really focuses on the
Boca Raton-based artist’s multitude of musical
influences. Not just blues and blues rock, but
also gypsy jazz, country, Latin, and
straight-ahead rock. Soars plays guitar, dobro,
banjo, bass, lap steel, two-string cigar box
guitar (pictured on the inside cover of the
album), jaw harp, and merlin stick dulcimer. So
yeah, this is a pretty diverse album with a lot
of exciting music to be heard.
The
title track opens the disc, a rugged blues
rocker driven by a Hendrixian guitar riff from
Soars, who proclaims he’s building his musical
career brick by brick. “Jezebel” is an
interesting foray into the gypsy jazz genre,
featuring enticing guitar work that ventures
beyond the blues spectrum, before the catchy
“Keep Good Company” brings things back to the
blues rock arena. “Can’t Keep Her Off My Mind”
is a country-fueled workout with Soars’ on banjo
and fiddler Anne Harris turning in a marvelous
performance.
“In
The Moment” is a gentle, acoustic instrumental
with a bit of a Latin feel. It’s followed by a
deliciously funky cover of Little Milton’s
“That’s What Love Will Make You Do,”
complemented nicely by Terry Hanck’s tenor sax.
Soars breaks out the dobro for the country blues
tune “The Good Lord Will Provide,” and “Honey
and Hash” is a stomping blues track with lyrics
from Lea McIntosh, lap steel from Soars, and
guest harmonica from Rockin’ Jake Jacobs.
“Merlin Stomp” is a rollicking instrumental
showcase that is nearly impossible to listen to
without moving your feet, with Soars on banjo
and dulcimer and Harris on fiddle. “Things Ain’t
Working Out” is a hard-charging blues shuffle
with slide guitar and lap steel from Soars and
background vocals from Paul DesLauriers and
Annika Chambers.
The
album closer, “Down By The Water,” is a jumping
little Tex-Mex number, with Soars adding a
little surf guitar with satisfying results.
Also
contributing to Brick By Brick are Chris
Peet (drums, bass), Raul D Hernandez and Jeremy
Staska (percussion), and Bob Taylor (Hammond
B3). I think this may be my favorite J.P. Soars
release yet. There’s a variety of great music
that will please a lot of different music fans.
--- Graham Clarke
 Jennifer
Lyn & The Groove Revival roared out of North
Dakota several years ago with a powerful brand
of blues that incorporates rock, roots, and
soul. I’ve heard a couple of their previous
releases (2017’s Badlands and 2023’s
Gypsy Soul), and they were most impressive,
leaving me wanting to hear more.
The
band (Jennifer Lyn – guitar/vocals, Richard
Torrance – guitar/backing vocals, Barb Jiskra –
keys, Nolyn Falcon – bass, Jim Anderson –
drums/backing vocals) has now issued a live set,
Live From The Northern Plains (J&R
Collective), that captures them in top form.
Recorded in Bismarck, North Dakota, this
energetic ten-song set combines five originals
written by the band with five interesting covers
that really showcase the talents of Lyn on
vocals and the superlative support provided by
The Groove Revival.
“Gypsy Soul” opens the set, the terrific title
track from their 2023 EP. Chris Smither’s “Love
Me Like A Man” was one of Bonnie Raitt’s biggest
hits early in her career, with Lyn ably handling
the vocals and Torrance the guitar work while
Jiskra takes an extended solo on piano. There
are also two Allman Brothers Band covers
included in the set, a faithfully presented read
of “Midnight Rider” and a funky interpretation
of “Whipping Post.” Lyn’s vocals are standout on
both tracks.
Lyn’s cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival’s
“As Long As I Can See The Light” really brings
out the gospel qualities of the tune, featuring
her soulful and powerful vocals. The hard
rocking “I Hope We Make A Change” is highlighted
by fierce rock-edged guitar, and “Going Round In
Circles” is a fine blues ballad with a strong
vocal and crisp fretwork.
The
final cover is a dynamite version of “House Of
The Rising Sun,” which starts out somewhat
subdued in its delivery before gradually
building in intensity over its five and a half
minute span with explosive guitar work from
Torrance and stunning vocals from Lyn. “Low Down
Dirty Shame” seamlessly blends blues, funk, and
rock as in its original incarnation on Gypsy
Soul, and the album closes with another tune
from that EP, the optimistic Americana ballad
“You Can Take It All.”
If
you’re not familiar with this marvelous,
versatile band, Live From The Northern Plains
is a great introduction to Jennifer Lyn & The
Groove Revival.
--- Graham Clarke
Marshall Chess, son of legendary Chess Records
co-founder Leonard Chess collaborated with his
son, Jamar, and producer Keith LeBlanc to
re-imagine 11 classic Chess songs from the '50s,
at times making them largely unrecognizable from
the originals. The result is
New Moves (Marshall Chess Music Inc./CZYZ
Records), credited to the group referred to as
The Chess Project.
I
was suspicious as to how much I'd like this
album, but kept an open mind. I recommend that
you all do the same, as the more I listened to
the experimental sounds being injected into each
number, the more I got into it. Just don't
expect anything to sound much like the
originals.
In
addition to his production work, LeBlanc, whose
background is more in the hip hop field, adds
percussion to the sound. Other musicians include
Bernard Fowler (vocals), Skip "Little Axe"
McDonald and Eric Gales (guitar), Paul Nowinski
and MonoNeon (bass), Reggie Griffin (keyboards),
Alan Glen (harmonica), and Mohini Dey (bass).
Not many names familiar to blues fans, but they
all have sterling, world class credentials in
the music biz.
I
can't even begin to describe the sound of each
song. You've got to hear it to understand what
they are doing here, again while keeping an open
mind.
The
number that I liked best is the Muddy Waters
tune "So Glad I'm Living," with Fowler's best
vocals here. Considering that Muddy dared to
take his music to another level by plugging his
guitar into an amplifier, I'm thinking he would
approve of Fowler's rendition.
Other favorites include the Sonny Boy Williamson
original "Nine Below Zero," with many mysterious
sounds that take this blues classic into another
realm, the Howlin' Wolf number "Tell Me," again
with Fowler keeping it a bit closer to the
original, a slow, funky version of St. Louis
Jimmy's "Goin Down Slow" that ends with a
mélange of various noises, another Wolf number
in "Smokestack Lightning," with Fowler getting
the appropriate growl and howl to his vocals,
and the closing number, "Help Me," another Sonny
Boy Williamson classic that gets a funkier but
also more uplifting sound.
One
more time --- I urge you to listen to this
multiple times and not try to compare each song
to the originals. It took me three times through
before i started to appreciate what they were
trying to accomplish. The result is that New
Moves is a very interesting project, showing
that blues can evolve into different forms.
--- Bill Mitchell
 New
England-based band The Wicked Lo-Down
were formed in pre-COVID 2020 by guitarist Paul
Size and singer/harmonica player Nick David,
with bassist Brad Hallen, drummer Nick Toscano,
and guitarist Jeffrey Berg. Their sound is a
combination of rugged Texas-styled blues and
northeastern R&B.
Out of Line (Gulf Coast Records) is the
band’s second effort, with 13 tracks, 11
originals and two covers, along with support
from guitarists Monster Mike Welch and Mike Zito
on a track apiece.
The
opener, “Kill Me or Keep Me,” is a barnstorming
blues rocker and gets the album off to a rousing
start, and “Marchin’ On” maintains the torrid
pace with satisfying results and nice guitar
interplay between Size and Berg. The ominous
“Bogeyman” is a blues shuffle with a swampy
feel, while the title track is a driving rock n’
roller that features Zito sitting in on guitar.
“The
Wildest One (Lester’s Boogie)” is a bracing
tribute to the late Lester Butler of the Red
Devils (Size was a member of the band),
perfectly capturing that great band’s sound and
attitude. “Toxic,” originally a 2004 pop hit for
Britney Spears, is completely transformed by the
band. Welch guests on guitar, and this track,
believe it or not, is a real standout thanks to
the driving shuffle rhythm and guitar
pyrotechnics.
The
standout “Action Woman” is an appealing rocker
that gets your attention, “If I” is a strong
slow blues, and “Dime Store Darling” has a
hearty classic rock sound. “You Don’t Know Me”
is a powerful blues shuffle, and the
instrumental “Vanna Be” gives the band an
opportunity to stretch their musical legs a bit.
The
album wraps with the moody, rumbling “Put Up
With You,” and the second cover, a smoking
version of Hound Dog Taylor’s “I Just Can’t Make
It,” that harnesses the energy and grit of the
original.
Out of Line will please fans of blues and
blues-based rock. The Wicked Lo-Down is a band
that bears watching and listening to with their
masterful musicianship and songwriting chops.
--- Graham Clarke
 Sean
Riley envisioned Stone Cold Hands
(Pugnacious Records), his full length debut, as
a musical tribute to New Orleans and southern
folk traditions. The singer/songwriter/guitarist
teams up with his band, The Water (Dean Zucchero
– bass/album producer, Mike Barras – drums),
along with musical guests Waylon Thibodeaux
(fiddle), Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes
(accordion/harmonica), Phil Breen (keyboards),
and background vocalists Tifffany Pollack, Megan
Harris Brunious, and Whitney Alouiscious Sanders
for a well-crafted set of nine originals and one
cover.
The
zydeco romp “Dance Me One More Time” gives the
disc a fine start, a tune that will definitely
put a hop in your step with its shuffling
rhythm, Barnes’ accordion, and the dreamy
backing vocals. The gentle “Go Easy On Me” has a
jaunty country blues feel that’s very
reminiscent of Mississippi John Hurt’s music,
and the title track is a tender ballad
addressing the loss of a friend and the failure
to hear his cries for help. Breen’s keyboards
complement this song well.
On
the lively “Truck Route Blues,” the rhythm
section and Barnes (on harmonica) nimbly
recreate the sounds of semis rolling down the
highway. Riley’s cover of Jimmy Reed’s “High And
Lonesome” is a nice fit and a nice showcase for
his guitar work. On the cheerful zydeco dance
track, “Out All Night,” featuring Barnes on
harmonica and accordion, Riley encourages
listeners to pick up their feet and relax their
mind.
Thibodeaux guests on the next two tracks, the
Cajun-flavored “A Losing Hand,” and the
sparkling instrumental “Rosie’s Rag,” where he
teams with Riley’s National steel guitar to
great effect. “Jump The Line” is a terrific
Delta blues with Riley’s Dobro and Barnes’
harmonica front and center, and the closer,
“Shine A Little Stronger,” is a gritty, but
uplifting blues rocker.
Though Stone Cold Hands consists of a
variety of musical styles, Riley’s National
steel adds a blues feel to nearly all the
tracks. Fans of the Louisiana styles of music
will find a lot to love about this release.
--- Graham Clarke
 40-year
West Coast blues veteran John Clifton
returns from pandemic delays and health issues
with a fine new album, Too Much To Pay
(Flower Records), which was recorded in Poland
during his 2023 European tour. Clifton penned
all ten tracks (three with Roger Perry) and he’s
backed by The Boogie Boys – Bartek Szopinski
(keyboards), Milosz Szulkowski (drums), Piotr
Bienkiewicz (guitar), and Janusz Brzezinski
(bass), with vocal assistance from Keysha Burns,
Haillie Williams, John Shafer, Chopper Wilson,
Craig Daniels, and Edwin Stovall.
Too Much To Pay’s songs are a well-crafted
combination of blues, old time rock n’ roll, and
R&B --- definitely an exciting set highlighted
by Clifton’s soulful vocals and energetic harp.
The title track is a brisk vintage R&B tune that
sets the pace for most of the album. “It
Wouldn’t Stop Raining” follows along the same
R&B trail, the band providing marvelous support
behind Clifton’s strong vocal, and “Lone Gone
Mama” is a tight blues shuffle featuring a crisp
harmonica solo.
“Get
Lost” is a piano-driven rocker that should get
people on the dance floor, “Every Waking Hour”
is a smooth mid-tempo blues ballad, and “Broke
Down Fool” revisits the piano-based rock n’ roll
sound of “Get Lost,” albeit with a slightly
stronger taste of blues mixed in.
“One
Fine Chick” is an upbeat retro-R&B tune that
sounds like a long-lost radio hit, and “The
Problem” is an excellent blues shuffle.
“Swear To God I Do” is a great slice of classic
R&B highlighted by Szopinski’s contributions on
the B3 and the fretwork of Bienkiewicz, and the
rollicking West Coast blues closer, “Bad Trip,”
wraps the disc up in fine fashion.
Too Much To Pay is a high-energy set of
traditional blues, R&B, and rock n’ roll that
manages to sound fresh and new. It’s great to
have John Clifton back in action.
--- Graham Clarke
 During
the COVID shutdown, Jack de Keyzer was
inspired to record a song per day based on
famous musical birthdays. The process involved
with learning these songs and recording them
served as a way for the multiple Juno and Maple
Blues Award winner to expand his craft while
retaining his sanity. It also eventually
provided him with ample material for his 13th
album, Solo (Blue Star Records), a
13-song set of songs spanning the 1920s to the
1960s, with de Keyzer providing all the vocals
and instrumental support himself.
The
set list is pretty diverse, offering several
country blues standards, including numbers from
Robert Wilkins (“That’s No Way To Get Along”),
Blind Lemon Jefferson (“Black Snake Moan”), and
a pair from Lead Belly (“Black Betty” and
“Gallis Pole”), along with Robert Johnson’s
“Crossroad Blues.” I was impressed with de
Keyzer’s nimble fret work on these tracks, with
“Crossroad Blues” and “Gallis Pole” being
particular favorites. A driving version of
Mississippi Fred McDowell’s “Shake ‘em On Down”
fits neatly in this category as well.
Several blues classics from further down the
timeline include J.B. Lenoir’s “Feeling Good,”
Eddie Taylor’s “Bad Boy,” Bobby “Blue” Bland’s
“Share Your Love,” and swamp blues classics “I’m
A King Bee” (Slim Harpo) and “Baby Let’s Play
House” (Arthur Gunter, via Elvis Presley). These
versions are a mix of acoustic and electric
numbers, with de Keyzer giving each his own
personal touch. They’re definitely not “by the
numbers” recreations, and I like his soulful
vocal on “Share Your Love.”
The
“modern” tunes included are Led Zeppelin’s “Baby
I’m Gonna Leave You” and a gentle read of Blind
Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home.” The Zeppelin
tune is the longest on the album, as de Keyzer
really tears into this version with his vocal
feeling a lot like Robert Plant’s.
Jack
de Keyzer’s downtime during the pandemic was
time well spent, as evidenced by this superb set
of blues standards. Solo is recommended
listening for any fan of blues or blues guitar.
--- Graham Clarke
 British
blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter Bex
Marshall has been singing since she was a
child, been playing guitar since she was 11,
learning a variety of styles and eventually
gravitating to the blues. Fortuna (Dixiefrog
Records) is her first release in 12 year,
featuring musical contributions from Toby Baker
(keyboards), Eugene “Red Bass” Daniels and
Aurora Mannola (bass), Richie Stevens (drums),
B.J. Cole (dobro), Danny Bryan (percussion),
with guest shots from Shola Adegoroye
(background vocals), Scott Coopwood (lead
guitar), Barry Bays (rhythm guitar), and Brian
Schilling (drums).
Marshall wrote eight of the ten tracks,
co-writing one with Coopwood, and covering one
track from Buddy and Julie Miller. “Preaching to
the Choir” opens the disc, a guitar-driven,
funky blues rocker that also showcases
gospel-flavored backing vocals from Adegoroye.
“Dirty Water” is the Buddy/Julie Miller
composition, and Marshall’s soulful vocal sets
the pace for this raw and gritty tune.
“I
Can’t Look You In The Eye” is the Marshall/Coopwood
collaboration, a powerful blues rocker with
Marshall playing sizzling slide guitar, Coopwood
playing lead, Bays playing rhythm guitar, and
Schilling on drums. The somber “5 AM” is a blues
ballad describing a fight with a lover in the
late night hours, highlighted by Marshall’s
world-weary vocal and stinging guitar solo. The
frisky “Jungle” is an entertaining rock n’
roller featuring more of the guitarist’s crisp
slide guitar work.
The
mid-tempo “Table For One” mixes blues and rock
with a taste of funk, and the title track is an
energetic instrumental, propelled by Stevens’
jet-propelled rhythm and Daniels’ bass (he
passed away soon after these sessions).
Marshall’s guitar playing is outstanding on this
track as well. “Lay Down and Die” is a gritty
Texas-styled blues groover featuring great
vocals and fretwork from Marshall as well.
“Scrapyard Dog” is a deeply funky tune
describing a most resilient character who
manages to land on their feet, and the
introspective closer, “When It’s Gone,” with
Marshall joined by Cole on dobro, reflects on
the fleeting nature of life. Marshall recorded
this track in tribute to the late Daniels.
A
gripping set of tough blues rock, Fortuna
makes you wonder why Bex Marshall took so long
between albums, and make you hope she doesn’t
take so long to release her next album.
--- Graham Clarke
 Based
in Montreal, The Sugar Darlings (Miche
Love – vocals, Danick Tardif – drums, Paul Lucyk
– guitar/vocals, Neil Robinson – bass, Kaven
Jalbert – tenor/baritone saxes) recently
released their debut album, Thirsty For Your
Love. The band recently competed in the 2024
I.B.C. in the Band category, representing the
Montreal Blues Society, and were nominated for
New Group of the Year at the Maple Blues Awards,
which is Canada’s version of the Blues Music
Awards.
The
Sugar Darlings penned all 12 of the tunes on
Thirsty For Your Love, and they are a mix of
blues and soul, funk and rock n’ roll. Love’s
powerful vocals are a comfortable fit in all of
those genres, and the band is as tight as can
be, deftly moving from style to style (hats off
to the rhythm work from drummer Tardif and
bassist Robinson).
The
opener, “Why,” combines rock and soul with a bit
of funk, and “Not Gonna Cry” ups the funk while
moving in an R&B direction, while the title
track is a crisp blues number with walking bass
and sharp fretwork. The catchy “Grow Up” is a
Motown-ish soul and blues number, and “Funky
Darling” is, as you might imagine, a tasty slice
of funk and R&B.
"Freaky Feet” adds slide guitar from Lucyk and
sax from Jalbert, and “South Shore Rock” is an
up-tempo rock n’ roller. “Love Is All I Need” is
a soulful rocker that features a particularly
feisty vocal from Love. “Crying Out” is a
late-night blues with hints of jazz and soul,
one of three tracks with guest John Sadowy on
keyboards. That late night feel continues with
the moody “Karma,” which seamlessly blends jazz
and soul with Jalbert’s sax and Lucyk’s guitar.
“To
Be Free” is a haunting ballad with stellar
vocals and musicianship,.The closer, “Oh Lord,”
mixes funk, blues, and gospel, bringing the
album to a most satisfying conclusion.
Thirsty For Your Love is an excellent mix of
blues, soul, rock, and funk from The Sugar
Darlings, a band that deserves to be heard.
Miche Love is an enticing vocalist, and the
band, as stated above, is first-rate. Don’t pass
this one by.
--- Graham Clarke
 The
band Canned Heat has been playing blues
and boogie since 1965. Only drummer Adolfo
“Fito” de la Parra, who joined up in 1967,
remains from those days, but he’s joined on the
band’s new CD, released nearly 60 years after
the band was founded, by
guitarist/keyboardist/vocalist Jimmy Vivino,
vocalist/harp player Dale Spalding, and bassist
Richard Reed., along with guest Joe Bonamassa
(guitar) and Dave Alvin (vocals/guitar). The
album title, Finyl Vinyl (Ruf Records),
gives the impression that this might be the
band’s swan song, but the music and performances
indicate otherwise.
The
Hooker-esque “One Last Boogie,” written and sung
by Vivino, starts things off and there’s more of
that “Last” vibe going based on the title, but
this tune drives so hard you can’t help but
think that these guys have plenty more to say.
Alvin makes his appearance, singing and playing
guitar on “Blind Owl,” a tune he wrote in
tribute to late co-founder Al Wilson. Vivino’s
raucous “Goin’ To Heaven In A Pontiac” features
his singing and playing piano and guitar with
abandon.
Bonamassa guests on “So Sad (The World’s In A
Tangle),” originally recorded by the band in
1970 for their album Future Blues.
Spaulding sings and plays harp with Vivino
adding rhythm and slide guitar to the mix, and
the two guitarists make some mighty music in the
process. “East West Boogie” is an interesting
instrumental the band adapted from the theme
music for the Apple TV show, Tehran,
combining Eastern sounds with the Canned Heat
boogie.
Spalding handles vocals on the next three songs:
the rocking Spalding shuffle “Tease Me,” the
chugging boogie rocker “A Hot Ole Time” (written
by Sam Hollander and Chris Scianni), and “You’re
The One,” another Spalding original which also
features soaring slide guitar from Vivino.
Vivino contributes the slow blues “When You’re
69,” describing the effects of growing older,
with great guitar from Vivino and harp from
Spalding carrying the day. “Independence Day,”
co-written (with Dean Zucherro) and sung by
Spalding, has a jazzy, swinging groove.
The
album closer is a pretty faithful cover of
Rollee McGill’s “There Goes That Train,” sung by
Spalding with his harp replacing McGill’s sax
from the 1955 original.
Based on the energetic and enthusiastic
performances and delivery, I’m inclined to say
that we’ve not heard the "Finyl Vinyl" from
Canned Heat. I certainly hope not, anyway. This
is a very strong release that deserves a sequel.
--- Graham
Clarke
The
latest single,
"Like You," from Toronto group The Imagine If
popped into my inbox last week, with the group's
sound described as progressive soul/rock. It's
part of an upcoming album, Great Expectations.
Based on this number, I'll describe The Imagine
If as more soul/R&B, and let's put the word SOUL
in capital letters because this song drips with
vibes of classic soul. It's a very nice, lyrical
love song, driven by the scintillating vocals of
Alia Logan, who packs a bundle of emotion into
this 3 minute and 46 second gem. I look forward
to hearing more from this previously unknown
group.
--- Bill Mitchell |
