FEBRUARY 2004 PLAY LIST
| 1) | “Acousticland Lady” | WMF Records | ||||
On which the American based Colin John and esteemed blues social commentator/guitarist Michel Hill get real low down on a front porch acoustic session.
The opening “11 Months & 29 Days” is a gloriously ragged blues on which both guitarists swap solos and vocal lines; the following cover of the traditional “Eyesight To The Blind” is a melange of acoustic guitars and includes Foley Q on piano. Steve Calabria adds acoustic bass, and drummer Scot Turner thunders things along nicely. This is a rare case of an acoustic version bringing fresh life to an oft recorded song. Michael Hill delivers a trademark emotive vocal on “Oil”, a typical biting political blues commentary. Colin adds Son House voice loops over sole razor edge slide on “Son House” For the rest there’s some superb inspirational playing on the instrumental title track, some Low Down Robert Johnson, and even an acoustic Michael hill led “Whipping Post”. After all these years of promise both Colin and Michael have struck base. Go and buy.
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| 2) | “Over The Edge” | Ingram LeBrun Music | ||||
It’s not very often a countryish album makes such a big impact on this play list. But James Watson and Steve Dean make an enormous impact with their cutting edge harmonies and Americana style lyrics.
Johnny Neel adds both telling piano and organ fills, on the anthemic “Fourth & Main”, and the together with song writing cohort Billy Montana, James/Dean also score on the ballad “Everbody’s Talking”, a self penned effort not to be confused with Harry Nilsson. Finally, the languid rock & roll of the forthcoming single “Fire Red Thunderbird”, includes classy riffs and even a lyrical pun on James Dean. The closing title track is different to what’s gone before, it’s a far more straight ahead, riff driven piece, but a fine closing track to a great album.
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| 3) | Paul Butterfield Blues Band |
“Vol 6 The Reunion” | Unreleased Copy | |||
Given John O’Leary’s International Blues band’s efforts in the forthcoming weeks to commemorate the reunion of a classic band and indeed the ground breaking “EastWest” album, I just had to go back to the last known efforts from the Paul Butterfield/Mike Bloomfield/Mark Naftelin/Paul Lay/Elvin Bishop re-union concert at the Greek Theatre, New York in 1978. Time plays funny tricks and as with the Allman's efforts I was surprised at how “late” on this recording was. Both Naftelin and Bishop left the band in its first configuration of course. For an outfit trading in extended improvisation and even psychedelic blues there was always going to a paucity of room for guitarist Bloomfield and his band leader Butterfield. On this recording the playing from all is strong and edgy but full of mutual respect. The intro perfectly introduces to the context
of the band. Championed by the late John Carpenter in San Francisco,
Butterfield kicked open the doors for the Grateful Dead and a host of
West Coast Jam bands. Above all Butterfield blazed his own trail, with
his big toned harp, high energy arrangements and as on (”Our Love
Is Drifting” showed he could match energy with real passion. Bloomfield
is hot, Butterfield wrings ever last ounce of the blues from a weary
soul, and Elvin Bishop fills in when he gets the chance. An edgy, but
gut wrenching performance from the perfect meeting of West Coast sensibilities
with Chicago Blues. |
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| 4) | “Tiny Sparkles” / ”Kings of the Universe” | Total Fiction Records | ||||
Since topping the Playlist in January I have been contacted by several people across the globe about this enigmatic musician. Just shows the international appeal and power of music. I stand by the review below, it’s a killer selection. Please read on if you haven’t already checked this guy out. This CD appears to be a compilation drawn from at least two of the above albums, and was given to me by former Motel Kings guitarist Steve “Youngblood” Cooke, now to be found with his new band Honeygun. I mention this both as a thank you to Steve, but also as a recollection of a rainy night in Barnes when he pressed the above in my hand, mumbled something about this guy being the third greatest player on the planet (.the other two? Don’t ask!!!!) Two months later I’m hooked. This guy has
presence, tone, psychedelic blues, passion raw gut emotion, and weighs
in like a latter day heavy duty Steve Miller who both blisses out like
Bob Weir, and adds a psychedelic undertow like Love’s Arthur Lee.
Key has teamed up like many Austin based muso’s before him with
the Double Trouble rhythm section. He’s also added a little New
Orleans courtesy of an association with producer Daniel Lanois. This guy eats and breathes feel, blood curdling
licks, and takes no prisoners along the way. On “Bubba’s
Truck” he soars high on his slide over an incessant funky back
beat. On “Pagan Love Song”, he’s in Jim Morrison mode,
and hey, Why not? This album rewrites the blues manual, tears it up
and walks off with the very best elements into another stratosphere |
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| 5) | “Walking In Familiar Footsteps” | Promotional Copy | ||||
Andy Sharrocks is a new name on the circuit, and with a voice somewhere between Dylan / Captain Beefheart / Edgar Broughton and Tom Waits, he’s certainly going to make an impact. Then there’s the album, a batch of abrasive songs and an all star band. The opening “Salvation In Disguise” showcases Andy’s tough vocal style over some excellent guitar work from Mick Taylor, and one of the Vee Brothers (Bobby’s sons Jeff and Tommy) on piano.
"Messin' Me Around" is an equally stripped down affair, rejoicing in a train time Country blues flavour, Andy adds some angular vocal phrasing over some fine Paul Jones harmonica flourishes. Mick Taylor adds some neat slide on "Sticks And Stones", and adds a Bo Diddley beat. The harp playing Jones doubling lines as Andy adds his unique vocal line on the “Good Good Feelin” chorus. Andy delivers the full Beefheart vocal elaboration on “Carry Me”, and with Andy’s fierce vocals, the bluesy/rootsy undertow plus the all star band, this makes for an interesting mix. The live shows could be really special.
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| 6) | “Dreams Of A Blues Man” | Tekni Records | ||||
And now for something completely new!! Nu Blues, right down to their post modern spelling offer something new on the blues circuit.
Dreams Of A Blues Man is mighty impressive album, crammed with good ideas and some great playing and above all a sense of adventure. Jay Nicholls has an excellent blues voice, Ramon Goode is a guitarist with bags of blues feel, and K Wells adds deep toned harp. On the Rap section of “Mississippi Rising”, vocalist Nicholls finds a true context for what Taj Mahal identified as modern days blues. Listen to “Blues Man On The Run”, to hear real 21st century blues Rarely has a new band brought together such disparate but historically conjoined musical elements, and you’d have to be a fairly cloth eared blues fan not to be mesmerised by any number of killer riffs, biting songs, echoed guitars and vocal loops. Nu Blues indeed!
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| 7) | "Rythm Oil" | In Blues Veritas Records promotional EP |
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5 tracks that act as the perfect
precis for Willie and his best line-up ever.
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| 8) | Kevin Ayers |
“Untitled: “Oxford Observatory”” | White Label | |||
The Oxford connection refers to the Maison Publique studio in Oxford, as Kevin Ayres show he still has a way with whimsical words, subtle song structures, and a sumptuous voice. Together with his splendid Belgian tour band and guests from Lol Coxhill on sax to both Michael de Albuquerque111 and Michael Junior on additional guitars, this is Kevin’s strongest material for some time. The reflective “Friends & Strangers” is full of life’s experiences, while “England” is a wry look at his homeland, probably from his current French /Belgian abode. “The Colour Of His Hair”, is a throw back to the 60’s protest song, only here its delivered as a gentle rap over a staccato synth backing; But it’s on Kevin’s love songs such as “Wide Awake” that he continues to impress with his delicate psyche lyrics, and aching voice; Kevin Ayers is a voice from the past who deserved his niche in the present. Let’s hope this album enjoys a release before the Spring tour. |
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| 9) | Allman Brothers |
“All Or Nothing” | Big Music | |||
Recorded in 1991 at The Hammersmith Odeon this double live set comes as a pleasurable blast from the past. It's strange to hear the band calling out “It’s been A Long Time hasn’t It" and then you realise this was the early 90’s. Quite how many reunions down the line that is, is something only the diehards would probably know. All that aside, this is two albums of searing twin guitars, cool Hammond, aching voices, and the best of a troubled band’s history from “Statesboro Blues” and “Jessica” to “Southbound”, and the climactic Whipping Post” (hear a more restrained version from Colin John above) |
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| 10) | “LA Blues” | Ruf Records | ||||
Another one of those albums that
has been out for a few years that you end up playing at either a sound
check or at a gig in between the bands. Great west coast blues from a Walter Trout contemporary and recording aficionado of the late great Luther Allison who still cuts the mustard. |
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Colin
and Michael have been touring together over the last year, and the results
are neatly captured here.
Acoustic/electric
guitar led chords, booming choruses, and the occasional Byrds style
chiming guitars all hit home. The above combination fills out “
The
following down home piece "
If
Amor introduced us to loops and samples, Nublues make the connection
between both down home Blues and funky variants with both Rap Hip Hop,
and Scratching. But before you run off to the next selection at the
thought of such a mix, try and give this a listen.