|
 Truth
Hurts (True Groove) is not the first
album by Brooklyn-based singer Regina Bonelli,
but this very fine collection of nine soulful,
rockin' blues served as my introduction to her
music. She's a strong singer with a big voice
that emits plenty of emotion. Ms. Bonelli is
backed by The True Groove All-Stars, a tight
band that does justice to the music without
trying to overpowering her vocals.
The
album opens with a very strong number, as the
title cut is a mid-tempo funky blues with sassy
vocals from Bonelli who also doubles on organ,
while Mark Henry comes in with nice sax work.
That leads into another good blues number, "The
Last Tear," with Bonelli having to give up on
that man but not before she sheds one more tear
for him. Tomás Doncker, who co-produced the
album with James Dellatacoma, contributes some
funky guitar effects. Guest guitarist Michael
"Kidd Funkadelic" Hampton shines with a
scintillating solo on "Cross To Bear," a slow
blues with a touch of gospel.
Perhaps ""Mama Raised A Sweet Thing" is
Bonelli's autobiography, as she sings that while
she was raised a sweet thing, she also wasn't
raised a fool. That leads into one of the best
cuts on Truth Hurts, the slow blues "Baby
Don't Hurt Me," highlighted by pedal steel
guitar from Artur Uronen. One might think that
the addition of steel guitar would give the song
a country vibe but that's not true, especially
when it's complemented by Doncker's jazzy guitar
solos. "Mr. Big Man" is a solid mid-tempo blues
that includes harmonica accompaniment from an
un-credited player, while "Did I" is more of a
soulful R&B song that doesn't have as much blues
in it as the other cuts.
While it's hard to pick a favorite number on
this album, a very strong candidate should be
Bonelli's rendition of Howlin' Wolf's "Killing
Floor." She's got the grit in her voice to do
justice for this heavy blues and the power and
range to allow her vocals to soar at times.
Henry blows some mean sax and Doncker puts in
wah-wah effects on guitar. This one's an
absolute killer! It should have been the closer
as it's hard for the final cut, the mid-tempo
blues "I Got To Go" to stand up next to it, but
that's okay. Doncker adds distorted guitar
chords in this finale.
Truth Hurts is a solid release and will have
me digging through Bonelli's past discography
for more gems like this one. For now, I'll be
happy listening to Truth Hurts over and
over.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Randy
McAllister is an east Texas blues and soul
singer who also plays a very fine harmonica, as
heard on his latest album, Power Without
Power (Reaction Records). There aren't a lot
of bells and whistles on the 11 songs here, but
just nicely-done, understated blues with a punch
of soul. McAllister plays harmonica and sings,
with Brandon Hudspeth doing most of the tasteful
acoustic guitar accompaniment. Guitarist Howard
Mahan appears on four cuts, and Heather Newman
and Jack McAllister adding background vocals on
one song each. All songs are originals except
for one killer cover tune.
Opening the album with quite a twist is
"Surprise!!!," opening with acoustic slide
guitar and rhythmic hand clapping before
McAllister sings about his woman who says she's
working late hours and needs to get a hotel room
so that she doesn't get home late and disturb
his sleep. He instead decides to "surprise" her
by bringing her family together for a pop-in
visit at the hotel. You can probably figure out
the rest, as they catch her in the hotel with
her side lover. It's a mid-tempo blues with
really strong slide guitar from Hudspeth.
The
really strong cover is "(Somebody Ease My
Troublin ' Mind," done originally by Sam Cooke.
McAllister packs a wallop with his own soulful
vocals. He's not trying to sound like Cooke (who
could?), but makes it his own for one of the
highlights of the album. Another keeper is
McAllister's call to action, "C'mon Brothers And
Sisters," an up-tempo number on which he sings,
"... the wrong thing is easy, the right not so
much, the truth is in the daily news ..." It's a
stirring, inspirational number, with a very fine
acoustic slide solo from Hudspeth.
Hudspeth also takes his slide work to another
level on the fast-moving "Son," with McAllister
packing more power into his voice. "Sweet Spot"
is a fun, loving tune about how his woman makes
him feel. Newman joins on backing vocals on the
mid-tempo blues, "Donnie Downer," a tale of an
office worker who makes everyone around him feel
better about their lives because of how
miserable his fortunes appear to be. McAllister
takes the opportunity to show off on harmonica
here.
Closing the album is another very good original,
"Like Nothing Else," with McAllister putting
plenty of power into his soulful vocals while
Hudspeth tears it up with his slide one more
time.
Not
being that familiar with Randy McAllister before
hearing Power Without Power, this one
caught me by surprise. It's really good, and is
the type of album that grows on you the more you
listen to it. Highly recommended.
--- Bill Mitchell
 If
you've read enough of my reviews on Blues Bytes,
you have probably already figured out that I
prefer groups with vocalists that can really
sing. I went through multiple albums trying to
determine which one to feature in my final
review for the month before finding this disc
from Bennett Matteo Band, which
undoubtedly has a strong singer in Jade Bennett.
She packs plenty of blues and soul in her
powerful voice, as heard on Shake The Roots
(SoNo Recording Group), a collection of 10
original songs co-produced by Kid Andersen along
with guitarist Gino Matteo.
In
the media release Matteo claims that the album
is a mix of their various influences. which can
result in an uneven album, but the band keeps it
pretty much in focus on most of the cuts. Their
strength is in soulful blues, with the best
songs fitting into this box.
Kicking it off is a mid-tempo funky soulful
tune, "Doesn't Really Matter," with Bennett
showing the power and range in her vocals as she
soars through the octaves, and Matteo lays down
solid blues/rock guitar licks. Bennett also
belts out vocals on the mysterious "Shiny
Creatures," an up-tempo driving song.
Bennett puts a little bit of Janis Joplin into
her voice on the slow, bluesy soul number, "Paid
& Broke," singing "...I'm pre-approved, but I'm
always behind ..." Despite her financial
troubles, her man keeps her and she's happy to
have him. Another keeper is the slow, late-night
jazzy blues, "Table For Two," supplemented by
Jim Pugh's gospel-style piano. It may start out
slow, but the tempo increases as the song
develops, with Barrett getting more energy into
her vocals to keep pace.
The
final number is another good one, with "When I
Close My Eyes" being a mid-tempo soul, with Nic
Clark's chromatic harmonica accompaniment
sounding a lot like Stevie Wonder blowing his
harp. Matteo gets good tone from his guitar and
Bennett leads with strong, sensual vocals.
Shake The Roots is a good representation of
the Bennett Matteo Band. There may be more
growth in this band's sound, so keep an eye and
ear out for their next recording.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Last year,
Delbert McClinton announced that he was
retiring from touring. Most fans understood
this, since the pandemic was still an issue and
the Texas music legend had recently turned 80,
but that didn’t mean that they weren’t saddened
by the announcement and wondering if they’d
heard the last of him. Fortunately, even though
McClinton did stop touring, he didn’t stop
recording, spending most of the isolation period
at Kevin McKendree’s Rock House Studio in
Nashville.
The end result,
Outdated Emotion (Hot Shot Records/Thirty
Tigers), is McClinton’s 27th studio recording, a
collection of songs paying tribute to the
artists that influenced him the most over his
65-year career. In short, it’s the album he’s
always dreamed of doing.
Opening with
“Stagger Lee,” famously covered by Lloyd Price
in the ’50s, McClinton gets the disc off to a
rousing start, with stellar support from Jim
Hoke on baritone and tenor saxophones and
backing vocals from Wendy Moten and Vicki
Hampton. Next is the first of three tunes
associated with Hank Williams, “Settin’ The
Woods On Fire,” with Chris Scruggs’ steel guitar
and Stuart Duncan’s fiddle helping set the mood,
followed by the first of three associated with
Jimmy Reed, “The Sun Is Shining,” a stripped
down affair with Kevin and Yates McKendree
accompanying McClinton, who also plays
harmonica.
A swinging take
of “One Scotch, One Bourbon, and One Beer” once
again features the McKendrees in musical
support. McClinton then rips into Little
Richard’s “Long Tall Sally” with the energy and
enthusiasm of a man half his age, and follows
with a cool countrified redo of his own “Two
Step Too” (originally on his Cost of Living
album from 2005) that adds steel guitar and
fiddle. McClinton sounds supremely soulful on
the slow burner, “I Want A Little Girl,”
associated with Ray Charles during his Atlantic
years. He kicks things up a notch on the second
Reed selection, “Ain’t That Lovin’ You,” which
segues into a tasty read of the second
Williams-associated tune, “Jambalaya.”
“Connecticut
Blues” is a new McClinton composition, an
easygoing jazzy blues collaboration with the
McKendrees. The third Reed-associated tune, “I
Ain’t Got You” (also associated with Billy Boy
Arnold and the Yardbirds) is a keeper and so is
McClinton’s third Williams tune, a swinging
version of “Move It On Over,” with fiddle and
steel guitar and raucous backing vocals. The
oft-recorded “Hard Hearted Hannah” is next, and
McClinton has a ball with it.
Two more
McClinton originals follow, “Sweet Talkin’ Man,”
a new tune in a blues rocking vein, and the
country arrangement on “Money Honey,” originally
presented in more of a manic, rocking vein on
2002’s Room To Breathe, works extremely
well.
McClinton’s voice
has coarsened just a bit over the years (65
years of performing will do that), but he sounds
great on all of these tunes. He is still a
master of his craft, seamlessly delivering on a
wonderful set that marries blues, country, rock,
and a bit of jazz. He knows these songs back and
front and you can feel the love when he sings
them. It’s sad that he’s not touring anymore,
but thank goodness he’s still making great music
in the studio.
--- Graham Clarke
 Ilana Katz
Katz’s latest release, In My Mind,
expands her blues and roots fiddling with a dash
of Mississippi grit and some greasy Memphis
soul. Part of that is due to the presence of
producer Matt Isbell of the Memphis-based Ghost
Town Blues Band. Katz met him at the I.B.C. in
2016, which led to her appearing on GTBB’s 2019
release, Shine, with Katz asking
Isbell to produce her album. The album also
features Johnny Burgin on guitar, Stephen
Dougherty on drums, Chris Matheos on bass, with
Kevin Houston adding percussion. Katz penned 10
of the 11 tracks, and they’re as diverse and
enticing as her musical talents.
The breezy,
mid-tempo title track opens the disc, a light,
funky blues punctuated by Katz’s mellow fiddle,
sweet vocal, and Burgin's supple guitar. “Woman,
Play The Blues” has a dusty Delta feel, and
serves as an autobiographical track of sorts,
with Katz wistfully singing about her place in
the male/guitar-dominated genre. Meanwhile,
“Nine Souls” starkly recalls her reactions to the
tragic Charleston church massacre in 2015, and
the swinging “Won’t Pass Me By” with a deep bass
line from Matheos and Burgin’s rhythm guitar
subtly backing Katz’s fiddle.
The urgent “Time
To Go” has a restless, buoyant vibe which states
the need to move on to better surroundings,
while the playful “Downtown With The Devil”
pictures Katz battling with the devil (portrayed
as a woman), and “Aint No Why” ponders the
futility of obsessing over the world’s problems.
“Bad Child” has a thick, swampy feel, with
Katz’s somber vocal and fiddle backed by
Burgin’s guitar, and his fretwork also shines on
“Well, Well Blues,” sounding like an old Chicago
blues with Katz’s fiddle in place of the
traditional harmonica.
The traditional
instrumental “Hangman’s Reel” is a wonderful
showcase for Katz’ fiddle having a stomping good
time. The reflective final track, “If,” was
written and recorded by Katz in her closet
during the pandemic, as she calls for people to
find common ground and cause.
Ilana Katz Katz
always offers a different twist on the
traditional (and modern, to be honest) blues
fare. It seems like the fiddle playing is more
prominent on this release, and that’s always a
good thing. Her thoughtful songwriting and her
lovely vocals are always a pleasure to listen
to, and to these ears, In My Mind is her
best effort to date.
--- Graham Clarke
 Reverend
Freakchild returns with another healthy dose
of his psychedelic brand of gospel blues. His
latest work consists of two discs, both on
Treated and Released Records. The first,
Supramundane Blues, consists of 13 tracks of
a gospel or gospel-inspired vein that span
mulitple genres. The Reverend is joined by
guitarists Kevin Griffin and Mark Karan,
keyboardist Steve Sirockin, bassist Malcolm “The
Minister of Bass” Oliver, drummer Chris Parker,
percussionist Jason Hann, multi-instrumentalist
Hugh Pool (who also produced), and the Reverend
Shawn Amos on vocals and harmonica.
The Reverend
opens with a faithful rendition of Son House’s
“Preachin’ The Blues,” capturing House’s
intensity with his guitar work and vocals. Next
is a country-funk take of the traditional
“Crying Holy,” popularized by Bill Monroe in
years past, a rockin’ blues read of Depeche
Mode’s “Personal Jesus,” a stirring version of
the Blind Lemon classic “See That My Grave is
Kept Clean,” and a pensive folk interpretation
of Albert King’s “Everybody Wants To Go To
Heaven” that works surprisingly well. Blind
Willie Johnson’s “Soul of A Man?” swings along
with a couple of additional verses provided by
the Reverend.
“Factors of
Awakening” is a Freakchild original, a mostly
instrumental piece with Griffin backed by a
droning hill country rhythm and shimmering
fretwork. ZZ Top’s “Jesus Just Left Chicago” is
transformed into a spare, acoustic slow burner,
while “Good Shepherd” retains the Jorma Kaukonen/Jefferson
Airplane arrangement of the traditional tune.
The gospel standard “Working On A Building” gets
a groovy funky treatment that will get toes to
tapping.
Amos guests on
the soulful “Keep On Prayin’,” providing vocals
and harmonica, before the album closes with a
glorious cover of Reverend Gary Davis’ “It’s
Gonna Be Alfight!,” and the 16-minute “Seven
Billion Light Years Old” is a combination of
special effects and snippets of testimonies.
 The second CD,
called Psychedelic Trip Hop Mass,
continues along the theme of the first CD’s
closing tune. It's interesting to hear one time
through, but probably not one you’ll be plugging
in repeatedly. That being said, if you’re
familiar with the Reverend Freakchild, you
should be amused and entertained --- at least
once.
Reverend
Freakchild continues the long tradition of
“preaching the blues” that’s been prevalent in
the genre since, really, its inception. He does
it quite a bit different than previously and
that’s what makes his music so compelling and
interesting. Supramundane Blues is a lot
of fun to listen to, like the rest of his
catalog.
Reverend
Freakchild was once known as Fordham Murdy, and
he once led the Boston rock n’ roll band
Bananafish back in the 1990s. That band recently
released a 25th anniversary retrospective,
Boston Bananafish (Treated and Released
Records), that will give Freakchild fans a
little background into the musical development
of their hero. The two-CD set features one disc
with twelve vocal tunes and an all-instrumental
disc.
The vocal disc
has 11 songs written by Murdy and, like his solo
work, the songs touch on a variety of musical
styles. “Red Car Coming” is a wild foray into
rockabilly, “Luck & Work” and “Underneath The
Porch” are greasy funk, “Casey and Hayes” and
“Holding On” venture into southern rock
territory, “Nobody’s Fault” is pop, and “Keep On
Keepin’ On” is ’70s-styled R&B. There’s also a
live track, with “Talk Good About Me” having a
Grateful Dead feel (apropos for the Reverend,
for sure), and the manic “Penumbra (Thank You
I’m Sorry)” is mostly an instrumental.
Closing the first
disc are the moody “Belpre At Night,” showcasing
the band’s instrumental prowess, and a
countrified cover of the Beatles’ “With a Little
Help From My Friends.”
The instrumental
disc shows that the band had an excellent
chemistry and it includes seven tracks, opening
with the madcap “Mrs. Moriarty,” before moving
to “Planet Garbanzo,” a funky groover with
bluesy guitar work from Matt Rae. “Smoking Gaia”
is also funky and ventures into blues, jazz, and
a little bit of world music as well. The
frenetic “Mauve” is a brisk rock and jazz
workout, “Avereen” deftly mixes jazz and Celtic
influences, and “Crazy Karma” has a film noir on
steroids quality. The closer, “Nobody,” is jazz
and rock taken at breakneck speed.
Fans of Reverend
Freakchild will certainly enjoy this disc as it
demonstrates that his unique talent as a
songwriter, performer has been in place a long
time, as well as his irresistible eccentricity.
Boston Bananafish shows that the
Boston-based band certainly should have been
better known than they were, but truthfully,
blues fans might have missed out on the good
Reverend if they had been.
--- Graham Clarke
 Singer Sandy
Haley grew up in Detroit, where she played
piano and sang gospel until she got her heart
broken in a breakup. From that point she
gravitated to the blues and Los Angeles. She’s
played with or shared the stage with
contemporary blues artists Teresa James, Coco
Montoya, and John Németh, along with rocker Joe
Walsh, Sammy Hagar, and the Beach Boys. Her
compelling blend of blues, soul, and gospel is
on full display with her latest release,
Feels Like Freedom, a 5-song EP produced by
Grammy winner Tony Braunagel.
The swinging
“Dirty Dog” gets the disc off to a rousing
start. This is a fun track and I’m sure it’s a
big crowd favorite with the sing-along chorus.
The uplifting title track is a soothing R&B tune
with a Motown feel and punchy tenor sax from Joe
Sublett. “Love Me Right or Cut Me Loose” is a
sultry slow burner based on personal experience
where Haley lets her mate know that she deserves
much better than she’s getting from him.
The amusing
“Never Sleep Your Way To The Middle” is an
upbeat rocker with horns and driving piano
addressing the dead-end potential of an affair
with middle management. “Run For Shelter” is
about moving on from an abusive relationship
that could also apply to anyone taking a bold
step out to change their life.
Sandy Haley is
certainly a talented singer in a variety of
genres. These tracks cover the blues, soul, R&B,
and rock and she’s equally comfortable in all of
them. She’s also a gifted songwriter. Feels
Like Freedom is a strong set that will leave
listeners hungry for more from this artist.
--- Graham Clarke
 Strike Up The
Band (Woodstock Records) is the new album by
Professor Louie & The Crowmatix,
featuring nine new original tunes written by
Professor Louie (Aaron Hurwitz) and Miss Marie
(Marie Spinoza), with one co-written with
guitarist John Platania and a cover of a
long-lost tune written by the late Richard
Manuel of The Band. (The Professor produced and
performed on The Band’s last three albums and
toured as a member until 1999). The trio is
joined by Gary Burke (drums) and Frank Campbell
(bass) and the Woodstock Horns.
The ten songs and
performances strike an optimistic note that is
most welcome in these turbulent times that we
live in. The opener, “A Thousand Ways To
Freedom” is an uplifting rocker. It’s followed
by the funky “Work It Out,” featuring the
Woodstock Horns (drummer Burke did all the horn
arrangements). Miss Marie’s blues-steeped vocals
are front and center on “Fall Back On Me,” as is
Platania’s nimble fretwork. She also leads the
vocals on the magnificent Crescent City groover
“Golden Eagle,” which describes an express train
on a one-way trip to Heaven.
The upbeat “Good
To Be Grateful” is a joyful tune, with the
Professor happily testifying to his good
fortune, while the energetic rocker “Livin’ In
This Country” calls for unity once and for all
in America. “Tick Tock” has a gospel/soul feel
at the beginning before dropping into a New
Orleans-flavored R&B, telling the tale of a man
running out of time to win his woman’s love.
“Chain Shot Cannonball” is a mid-tempo blues
rocker about the end of a relationship, and the
somber “End of The Show” is a winner, with a
heartbreaking vocal from Professor Louie. The
album closes with “Flaming Ray,” a sober call
for peace and unity with a churchy feel that
drives the message home.
Though the times
may be troublesome, music fans can take comfort
in the fact that Professor Louie & The Crowmatix
remain optimistic that better days are ahead.
Strike Up The Band is loaded with tunes that
reflect that hope.
--- Graham Clarke
 While making his
latest album, Breathe In The World, Breathe
Out Music (Stony Plain Records), Canadian
harmonica master Mike Stevens was
battling the effects of late-stage Lyme disease,
which rendered even the most routine actions
exceedingly difficult. Fortunately, he was able
to soldier through the difficulties to produce a
wonderful set that ventures from blues to
bluegrass to world music to country. The album
features 12 songs, a mix of originals and covers
with Stevens receiving support on selected
tracks from guitarists Jeff Getty, Jesse Wells,
and Kevin Breit, drummer Art Hratchian, bassist
Jeff Bird, mandolinist Andrew Collins, and
vocalist Cory James Mitchell and Polly Harris.
“Like A Little
Bird” is, indeed, like a little bird as it opens
the album. It’s exceeding light and airy like a
gentle breeze wafting through space with Ms.
Harris’ sweet vocal and Stevens’ harmonica
playing over a funky reggae backdrop.
“Watermelon Pie” is a busy instrumental that
mixes the blues with a touch of country. It’s
followed by “Life In Sarnia,” sung by Mitchell,
where Stevens’ harmonica takes on a low,
growling tone as he describes returning home to
family, and “Grumbling Old Man, Grumbling Old
Woman,” another instrumental that gets a fun and
funky treatment. There’s also a very interesting
instrumental take on the Gordon Lightfoot epic
“The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald,” which
retains the haunting tension of the original
without the lyrics.
Stevens takes the
vocal for the jazz-flavored “Bad In A Good Way.”
He’s previously expressed a discomfort about
singing, but he does a good job on this song and
a couple of others along the way. Meanwhile, his
version of the bluegrass standard “Orange
Blossom Special” starts out slowly, but shifts
to jaw dropping hyper-drive quickly. The more
serene, meditative instrumental “Jesse’s
Request” brings the energy level back to earth,
but things pick back up quickly with a romping,
stomping version of “Ida Red,” that will have
listeners singing along.
Stevens shines on
a mostly solo interpretation of the traditional
hymn “Amazing Grace.” He mostly plays in the
upper register and, with the understated guitar
backing from Breit and Getty, it really puts a
fresh coat of paint on an old standard. “Devil’s
Bride” is a dark, ominous blues driven by
Breit’s electric guitar and Stevens’ harmonica
and gravelly vocal, and the zany closer, “Put
The Phone Down,” is powered by Hratchian’s
second line groove while Stevens’ improvises on
harp and lyrics.
For any blues fan
who enjoys harmonica, Breathe In The World,
Breathe Out Music should be on your
must-hear list. Mike Stevens is a master of this
tiny instrument and he takes it in a variety of
musical directions on this engaging release,
which should really be required listening for
any music fan.
--- Graham Clarke
 Lew Jetton &
61 South recently marked 30 years with a
collection of favorite tunes from their four
albums. Deja Hoodoo (Endless Blues
Records) compiles 16 tracks pulled from 2000’s
State Line Blues, 2006’s Tales From A
2 Lane, 2016’s Rain, and 2017’s
Palestine Blues. If you’re not familiar with
Jetton’s music, you’ll be searching out the
remainder of his catalog after hearing this well
chosen set.
The gritty blues
rocker “Two Lane Road” kicks off the disc with
searing guitar work and Jetton’s tough vocals.
The protagonist in the mid-tempo “Mexico”
bemoans the loss of his job to a new location
south of the border, but things look up quickly
on the next track as he sings of the pleasures
and charms of the “Waffle House Woman,” bound to
be a crowd favorite at their shows, and the
chugging boogie track, “Homegrown Tomato,” one
of several tracks that features harmonica from
JD Wilkes, an original member of 61 South who
now fronts The Legendary Shack Shakers.
“Betcha” is a
driving rocker, while “I Been Cheated” is a
soulful blues ballad with a strong vocal from
Jetton. Those tracks and the remainder of the
disc, including the urban blues “Nighttime Into
Day,” the rock n’ roll shuffle “Sandy Lee,”
“Who’s Texting You” (definitely a modern blues),
the slow burners “Tattoo Blues,” “State Line
Blues,” and “Drinking Again,” and the sweaty
closer “Will I Go To Hell,” are superb and
demonstrate the sheer versatility of Jetton & 61
South’s music. Blues with a heaping helping of
rock, and soul.
Deja Hoodoo
should be in every blues rock fan’s collection
and probably on regular rotation for a long
time. Trust me, after listening, you’ll want to
hear more from Lew Jetton & 61 South, who should
be better known and more frequently recorded if
there was any justice in the world.
--- Graham Clarke
 Karl Stoll and
the Danger Zone (Stoll – guitar/vocals, John
Dickson – harmonica/vocals, Dean Dalton –
bass/vocals, Brian Alpert – drums/vocals) is a
Washington, D.C.-based blues band whose music
incorporates a little Chicago, a little New
Orleans, a little Memphis, and a little Texas
into the mix. They’ve performed widely in the DC
area, appearing at shows with Roomful of Blues,
Sue Foley, Popa Chubby, Tom Principato, Anson
Funderburgh and Mark Hummel, among others.
The Workhouse is their second release,
featuring ten original tracks written by Stoll
with one choice cover.
The opening
track, “Meet Me In New Orleans,” gets the album
off to a great start with its energetic and
insistent Second Line rhythm and overall good
vibe (New Orleans piano man David Torkanowsky
sits in). “Sometimes” is a mid-tempo ballad
which is reprised at the conclusion of the
album. It’s followed by the title track, a Delta
blues-inspired tune recounting the history of
the now-closed D.C. prison in Lorton, Virginia,
“He Was My Dad,” a blues rocking tribute to
Stoll’s late father featuring slide guitar from
Paul Bell (The Nighthawks), and “Why Does It
Feel So Good,” an amusing warning about
venturing into the wrong direction.
“Open Your Arms”
is an old-school, soulful ballad, while the pop
rocker “Love Is A Two Way Street” is a fun ride
with catchy lyrics and an irresistible beat.
“Bad Girl” is a splendid slow blues, while
“Fantasy Girl” has a driving ’80s rock/pop feel.
The album’s lone cover, John Prine’s “Great
Rain,” finds Stoll incorporating some inspired
Hendrix-ian guitar into the mix that works
really well. The brief reprisal of “Sometimes”
wraps up the disc.
The Workhouse
is a strong set of blues, blues rock, and roots
originals that will satisfy fans of those
genres. Stoll is a fine songwriter and an
engaging guitarist and vocalist.
--- Graham Clarke
 The ever-busy
Mississippi bluesman Stevie J Blues
returns with another hot single, “Move Forward,”
a strong southern soul/blues track dealing with
picking up and moving on from a bad situation.
Backed with a strong, driving rhythm track,
encouraging lyrics, memorable chorus, as well as
a distinctive guitar solo that sends the tune to
a different level as it wraps up, this song will
be a real crowd pleaser for soul, blues, and R&B
fans. Stevie J Blues’ music has a charming
appeal to fans of traditional and contemporary
blues. He’s just getting started, folks.
--- Graham Clarke
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