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 If
you were a long-time fan of the iconic
northern California blues band Little Charlie &
the Nightcats, then you certainly know what to
expect from that band's current incarnation,
Rick Estrin & the Nightcats, on their latest
release, Groovin' In Greaseland
(Alligator). There's Estrin's creative
songwriting, heavy on novelty-type blues
compositions, along with his very fine harmonica
playing. Replace Little Charlie's superb guitar
work with that of the equally capable Kid
Andersen, add some of the best backing
musicians around, and you've got the formula for
another fine album.
Groovin' In
Greaseland starts strong with "The Blues
Ain't Going Nowhere," a mid-tempo shuffle
highlighted by Estrin's dirty-sounding harp
breaks coming from the deeper end of the
instrument. Versatile keyboardist Lorenzo
Farrell comes in partway through the song with a
powerful organ solo. Andersen gets to show off
his snaky chops on guitar on the next tune,
"Looking For A Woman," which has a bit of a
funky beat.
There are three
instrumental numbers on the album, with two of
them especially standing out. "MWAH!" is an
Andersen original on which the Kid puts out a
guitar chords that at times sound like something
from Link Wray and at other times sounds like
it's Robert Ward playing through his Magnatone
amp. We're also treated to a hot sax solo from
Nancy Wright and more good organ playing from
Farrell. The instrumental number closing the
album is "So Long (for Jay P.)," with Estrin's
harp sounding like he's summoning the
spirit of Slim Harpo. "Cool Slaw" is the third
instrumental number, a jazzy mid-tempo shuffle
written by and primarily featuring Farrell's
organ. This one doesn't have as much zip as
other tunes here, and goes on just a bit too
long before finally building to more of a
crescendo near the end.
One of my
favorite songs is the jumpin' up-tempo number,
"Hot In Here," with a good harp intro from
Estrin followed by some of Andersen's best blues
guitar licks. His style here was so reminiscent
of Little Charlie that I had to
double-check the liner notes to make sure that
Mr. Baty didn't sneak in a brief cameo
appearance. Another keeper is
the slow blues, "Tender Hearted," featuring
Estrin's hushed vocals and tasty chromatic harp
playing. Andersen adds nice, subtle guitar
accompaniment.
Of course, it
wouldn't be a Rick Estrin album without him
lamenting about the troubles in his life, and we
get that on "Dissed Again." He repeats
the line, " .... I
can't even get respect out of my so-called
friends, the story of my life, dissed again!
..."
There's a lot
more here, all of it equally good. If you are a
long-time Nightcats fan, then you may have
already scored a copy of this disc the day it
came out. But if not, be sure to add Groovin'
In Greaseland to your collection soon.
--- Bill Mitchell
 My
introduction to the smooth, soulful voice of
Minnesota-based Wee Willie Walker came
about ten years ago when a friend passed along a
copy of his excellent
Memphisapolis
album, one that now occupies a treasured spot in
my "desert island" collection. What struck me
most about Mr. Walker was how much he sounded at
times like vintage Al Green --- take that as a
compliment. For his most recent album, After
A While (Blue Dot Records), Walker is
capably backed by
The Anthony Paule Soul Orchestra
on this collection of 13 numbers.
There's plenty of good music on this disc, but I
came away wanting more. Perhaps the greatness of
Memphisapolis set an unreasonably high bar. Mr. Walker puts
everything he's got into the vocals, but the
recordings are too pristine at times and not as
gritty as soul music should be. I kept waiting
for the backing band members to turn up the
energy on some of the cuts, which finally happens in the
last four songs of the CD. These minor quibbles are what make this a good, but not
great, recording.
But
let's cover the high points, which still make
this an album worth pursuing. Opening the disc
is a solid mid-tempo soul tune, "Second Chance,"
with a strong horn section backing Mr. Walker
along with tasteful piano from Tony Lufrano.
Walker packs plenty of raw emotion into the slow
number "After A While," with his voice moving
across the octaves while we also get a tasty sax
solo from Charles McNeal.
The
gem of After A While is Walker's remake
of a hit song he recorded for Kent in the '60s,
"I Don't Want To Take A Chance." I was familiar
with a version done a few years ago by Charles
Wilson on his excellent Severn release,
Troubled Child, a Blues Bytes Pick Hit in
June 2009. It's the highlight of this
album, with inspired accompaniment and gritty
vocals. I could listen to this song over and
over.
Another standout is "Romance In The Dark," a Lil
Green song that gives bandleader Paule a chance
to shine on guitar. "I Don't Want To Know" is a
strong mid-tempo blues, with more nice guitar
work from Paule and a solid outing by the horns.
Paule and the horns all get to shine on "The
Willie Walk," a fun and funky instrumental
number.
After A While ends with a couple of covers
of soul classics --- "Lovey Dovey,"
previously done by Carla Thomas and Otis
Redding, but here with Terrie Odabi joining the
band to handle Carla's vocal lines, and the Isaac
Hayes/David Porter-penned song "Your Good Thing
(Is About To End)," a slow blues with very good
guitar accompaniment from Paule.
Willie Walker is a name to file away for your
next music buying binge. Everything he's
recorded is worth having, so be sure to add
After A While to your collection. You won't
regret it.
--- Bill Mitchell
 Just to give you
a heads-up before you listen to Willa and
Company’s debut album, Better Days
(Building Records), go to the internet and
search for “Sock Garters,” and then order a set.
You’ll thank me later because listening to this
disc may knock your socks off otherwise! I was
not familiar with Willa Vincitore, a two-decade
vet of the New York Hudson Valley-area music
scene and original member of the award-winning
Chris O’Leary Band. She recently started her own
band, but boy, I am familiar with her now.
Her debut release
has a dozen self-penned tunes that are dynamite
on their own, mixing blues, soul, rock, funk,
gospel, and pop, but when she opens her mouth to
sing them, prepare to be blown away. Opening
with the swinging shuffle, “Love Looks Good On
Me,” she’s backed by a peppy horn section and
gospel-flavored backing voices, the latter of
which assist her in bringing the song to a
rousing close. The funky “Stop, Drop, and Roll”
is another standout, and the silky smooth
“Hooked On You” would have been a classic back
in the old Stax Records days, and should be one
today, while the rocker “Hey Little Sister” has
a bit of country flair and gets an assist from
O’Leary on harmonica.
While Vincitore
has been compared to singers like Susan Tedeschi,
Shemekia Copeland, and Bonnie Raitt, I hear a
lot of Aretha Franklin in her phrasing and
delivery. She brings it all to the stunning
title track, a soulful ballad that really gives
her room to stretch out. The sassy “Mama Needs
Some Company” features a lusty vocal from
Vincitore, plus fiery slide guitar from Chris
Vitarello, “Crazy Man” and “Say What” are both
strong funk workouts, and “Opposite of Lonely”
leans toward the jazzy side of the blues. The
closer is the acoustic “Demons,” an old
fashioned Delta-styled number with Vincitore’s
haunted vocal backed only by Vitarello’s
National steel guitar.
Vincitore gets
fantastic support from “Company,” which includes
O’Leary (harmonica), Vitarello (guitars), Lee
Falco (drums), Brandon Morrison (bass), Jay
Collins (saxes, horn arrangements), Reggie
Pittman (trumpet, flugelhorn), Petey Hop
(acoustic guitar), and Scott Milici (keyboards).
Better Days just hits all the right notes
for fans of blues and soul and great singing
from Willa Vincitore, who we will certainly be
hearing more from in the future.
--- Graham Clarke
 Joseph Veloz
has toured as a bass player for over 20 years,
working with blues artists Lucky Peterson, Matt
“Guitar” Murphy, Mississippi Heat, James
Armstrong, and Joanne Shaw Taylor to name a few.
He’s equally adept in blues-rock, reggae, R&B,
and Americana, and is also an arranger and
composer, and a good one as is evident from his
latest release, Offerings (Big O
Records), a sterling eight-song set of tunes
featuring Veloz with a formidable cast of guest
artists lending a hand.
The eight-track
album is split between three instrumental tracks
and five vocal tracks, with Veloz enlisting five
different vocalists on those tunes, which
include Eddie Kirkland’s “Good Good Day,”
featuring Biscuit Miller’s robust vocals,
“Jukin’ and Shakin’,” with former colleague
Peterson behind the mic, “I Like Me Better When
I’m With You,” a sweet R&B ballad with Greg Nagy
on vocals (written by Nagy and Veloz), Dolly
Parton’s country standard “Jolene,” with
Jennifer Westwood on vocals, and a terrific
breakneck-paced readng of Prince’s “Kiss,” with
lead vocals from Joey Spina.
The instrumentals
include the jazz/rock fusion opener “Just Jammin’,”
a fierce, thumping workout featuring Shawn
Kellerman tearing it up on guitar, Jim
Alfredson’s wonderous keyboards, and Veloz
putting down more bottom than the Butt Sisters.
“Mules For Biles (Blues For Miles)” is funky
R&B-styled blues, and “He Loves Me (God’s
Promise)” is a smooth and meditative foray into
jazz.
Veloz arranged
all of these songs and gets plenty of
opportunities to strut his stuff on his
instrument of choice. Kellerman and Alfredson
play on most of the tracks, along with drummer
Andrew “Blaze” Thomas, who also penned “Jukin’
and Shakin’.” Nagy adds guitar on his featured
track as well. Offerings is an
outstanding set of blues and soul that also
touches on a number of other genres from an
underrated master of his craft.
--- Graham Clarke
 Try at your own
risk to place Greg Sover into one musical
category. The Philadelphia-based guitarist,
vocalist, and songwriter says himself that his
music doesn’t fit into one particular genre.
While there’s a healthy dose of blues in the
mix, Sover also throws in rock, soul, reggae,
and R&B. Learning to play guitar at age 13, he
worked on the total package, honing his
songwriting skills and his singing, which
culminated in a win at the 2015 Hard Rock Rising
competition at Philly’s Hard Rock Café.
Since then, he’s
made a lot of noise on the Pennsylvania music
scene as a headliner and in support of acts like
Johnny A, Garland Jeffreys, Ana Popovic, and the
Marcus King Band. He also found time to record
and release his debut, Songs of a Renegade
(Grounded Soul Records), which consists of nine
original tunes from Sover, plus one dynamite
cover tune. Sover is backed on this set by
members of Deb Callahan’s working band (Garry
Lee – bass/backing vocals/percussion, Allen
James – guitar, Tom Walling – drums) along with
keyboardist Wally Smith.
The opener,
“Moment,” is a simmering rock ballad with an
excellent guitar break, followed by the
energetic “Heroes.” Speaking of energetic,
“Preacher” is a fiery gospel-flavored blues
rocker that might raise the roof if the volume
is too high, and “Quicksand” throws a touch of
Philly Soul into the musical gumbo, a
combination that works really well with Sover’s
soulful vocal and his sinewy guitar work. He
delves deeper into the soul vein with the
ballad, “(Make Me) Say Yeah,” turning in a
strong vocal performance.
“After Me” is the
purest blues track on the disc, with Sover
showing what he has on Resonator, and “Déjà Vu”
is a solid mid-tempo rocker with a pop feel. The
album’s lone cover is next, and it’s excellent.
Bill Withers’ “Ain’t No Sunshine” has often been
covered, but rarely bettered. Sover comes pretty
darn close with this reading, rocking it up
considerably with some of his best guitar work
on the disc. “Superman” is an interesting tune,
taken from the perspective of the super-hero,
and the closer, “Cherie,” a love song with an
irresistible reggae rhythm.
Songs of a
Renegade is an exceptional debut release for
Greg Sover, an artist from whom we should be
hearing much more from in the future.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Bay Area band
Delta Wires began over 30 years ago as a
college project from bandleader Ernie Pinata.
His intention was to demonstrate the evolution
of the blues from its Mississippi Delta
beginnings to the electric blues of Chicago and,
eventually, the West Coast, with the band
playing examples of the evolution. If the
project didn’t earn Pinata an “A” at the time,
the band itself has surely earned one over their
four decades of hard work playing the clubs of
Oakland and San Francisco and opening for such
blues legends as Lowell Fulson, Freddie King,
Buddy Guy and Junior Wells, and countless
others.
Born in
Oakland (Mud Slide Records) is the Delta
Wires’ seventh release and it finds the band (Pinata
– lead vocals/harmonica, Tom Gerrits –
bass/vocals, Richard Healy – guitar, Tony Huszar
– drums/congas/tambourine, Gerry Jonutz –
tenor/alto/bari sax, David Bowman – trombone,
John Christensen – trumpet) in great form. The
jazzy pop-flavored opener “Sunny Days” will
probably put a smile on the faces of music fans
who dig those classic ’70s Tower of Power or
Chicago tunes, as will “Fun Time.” However,
blues fans will definitely dig the swinging read
on Billy “The Kid” Emerson’s “Fine and Healthy
Thing” that follows, or the blues rocker
“Vacation.”
The smoky blues
ballad “Your Eyes” slows the tempo a bit, with a
nice vocal from Pinata, and “Devil’s In My
Headset” is an interesting take on a very
different type of love song. The hard-charging
“I Don’t Care” finds the horns really cranking
up in support to Pinata’s fevered vocal, while
“Days of the Week” and “All I Have To Give”
revisit the jazzy side of the band’s sound.
There’s also an excellent take on Pee Wee Ellis’
“In The Middle,” a funky instrumental that gives
the band, especially the horns, plenty of space
in the spotlight.
Delta Wires’
brand of blues, on full display with Born in
Oakland, will appeal not only to blues fans,
but also soul, jazz, and R&B fans. They
certainly get an “A” for effort.
--- Graham Clarke
 Before listening
to No Black No White Just Blues (Little
Dog Records), I had no idea who Lightnin’
Willie was, but after listening, I would
love not only to find out more about him, but
also to hear more from him. This cat can flat
play the blues. He can rock with the best of
them, he can swing with the best of them, and he
can boogie with the best. Produced by Pete
Anderson, the ten original tracks on this disc
cover all the bases, but in a stylish,
understated, cool style that is decidedly
different from a lot of the modern blues fare
offered up these days.
“Can’t Get That
Stuff” is a jazzy, toe tapping shuffle with
piano master Doña Oxford sharing the spotlight
with Willie’s fluid guitar work and his
laidback, mannered vocal. “Eyes In The Back Of
My Head” is a bit more rowdy, on the Chicago
side of things with Anderson adding harmonica to
the mix, while the slow groover “Locked In A
Prison” comes from the T-Bone Walker side of the
tracks (nice work on the sax from Rob Dzulbla
and Skip Edwards on Hammond B3 on this track,
and several others). The lively “Sad ‘N Blue”
has a bit of “Chicago Meets South Louisiana”
vibe with the addition of Edwards’ accordion in
the background.
“Note On My Door”
is a jazz-inflected, after-hours take on the old
“Dear John” story that finds Willie adding a bit
of grit to his smooth vocal delivery.
“Heartache” has a Latin flair with some stellar
picking from Willie, and the smoky and hypnotic
“Fuss and Fight” is another solid slow burner. I
really dig the Otis Rush-like guitar work on
“Phone Stopped Ringing,” and “Thinking Of You,”
is a dandy old school rock n’ roll ballad like
they used to do back in the day. The grand
finale is the raucous boogie “Shake My Snake,” a
great closer that will remind listeners ZZ Top’s
early rockers.
The only problem
with No Black No White Just Blues is that
there just ain’t enough of it at around 29
minutes, but that’s what the replay button is
for on your listening device of choice. If
you’re like me, after you hear it, you will want
to hear a lot more from Lightnin’ Willie.
--- Graham Clarke
 The
Philadelphia-based band Boris Garcia
unknowingly created a new genre of music, Outlaw
Mystic, with their enticing blend of Americana,
bluegrass, and pop music. It’s a style that
should appeal to a lot of music lovers across
the board and a great place to get started with
the band is their most recent release, Around
Some Corner (Porchwerk Music). Produced by
Railroad Earth’s Tim Carbone, the new disc
features 11 originals, six written by Bob
Stirner (vocals/electric and acoustic guitars)
and six by Jeff Otto (vocals/ukulele).
The opening track
is “Knockin’ On Wood,” a splendid waltz that
tells the story of a man longing for his love,
followed by “Mary Fields,” an entertaining
piano-driven cut that is reminiscent of mid ’60s
pop, and “3 Steps” is a lovely acoustic
country-pop confection. “Captain Of The Crew” is
a fun tune, while the memorable “Mendocino”
revisits the ’60s, with Farfisa organ and slide
guitar, and the lilting countrified “I’d Do
Anything” is a tribute to a good friend,
punctuated by mandolin and pedal steel.
The love song
“Desiree” is next, and would be all over the
radio in a perfect world with its crisp
instrumentation and upbeat, joyous melody. The
lively “Feather And Down” ventures more toward
the band’s bluegrass roots, and one of my
favorites, “Waters Blue,” sounds like a
long-lost Grateful Dead tune with its musical
approach and lengthy instrumental break. The
jaunty “Another Day” picks up the bluegrass
vibe, and the closer, “Message At Twilight,” is
very interesting, with a reggae beat at its
base, along with a taste of Celtic, topped off
with bluegrass.
Otto and Stirner
alternate on vocals very effectively, and the
rest of the band (Bob Burroughs –
mandolin/bouzouki/keyboards/accordion, Tim Kelly
– drums/percussion/broom, E.J. Simpson –
electric/upright bass, Chip Denoyers – pedal
steel) with contributions from Carbone
(fiddle/guitar/backing vocals) and Tom Hampton
(lap steel) is so amazing and versatile. If we
were in that perfect world I mentioned a couple
of paragraphs above, Around Some Corner
would be blasting from speakers everywhere. This
is a fun and very entertaining CD that should
appeal to music fans of many genres.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Tucci
band
was originally known as The Toler-Tucci Band,
which featured former Great Southern/Allman
Brothers Band/Gregg Allman Band guitarist Dan
Toler as a driving force. The Toler-Tucci Band
released a 2012 album, Doc’s Hideaway,
which received great reviews and acclaim, but
sadly, Toler, who waged a long battle with ALS,
passed away in 2013. The Tucci Band have bounced
back with Olivia (Hideaway Records), an
11-track gem which shows that the band is
sticking firm to their energetic blues/Southern
rock mix.
Tucci consists of
guitarist/vocalist Steve Tucci, drummer Michael
Tucci, vocalist/saxophonist Shawn Murphy, and
bassist/vocalist Harry DeBusk. On several
tracks, they are joined by keyboardists Dan Ryan
or Donnie Richards, who split duties on 10 of
the 11 tracks, and guitarist/vocalist Larry
McCray, who takes vocal and/or guitar on eight
tracks. All of the tunes were written by the
band, and make strong references to the blues
and Southern rock both musically and lyrically.
McCray’s robust
vocals and guitar are front and center on the
rocking Windy City shuffle, “High Roller,” and
the smoldering ballad, “I Don’t Need It,” both
of which bring to mind Otis Rush’s Cobra days.
He also takes the mic on “Without You,” which
opens with a twin-guitar attack from McCray and
Steve Tucci that will remind listeners of the
Allmans, and the scorching B.B. King-styled “You
Hurt Me.” He also sings on the hard-charging
“Gimme Some of Your Love.”
The remainder of
the vocals are shared by Murphy --- the funky
title track, “Train Blues,” featuring some sharp
guitar from Tucci and McCray in the Albert King
tradition, and the captivating “Third Eye,”
actually an extended instrumental jam in the
great Southern rocker tradition, which teams
Steve Tucci’s guitar with guest Bob Dielman’s.
Steve Tucci takes vocals on two tracks, the
amusing “Overtaxed Blues” and “Hey Florida,” a
dandy Allmanesque rocker that even kicks off
with the “One Way Out” riff. Al Owen sings “Play
by the Rules,” backed by Toler’s soaring guitar
in what was probably his final recording.
Though Toler is
no longer with us, his spirit is still a huge
part of Tucci, and Olivia is a great set
of Southern rock and blues that will satisfy
anyone who likes either brand.
--- Graham Clarke
 Stacy Jones’
latest release, Love Is Everywhere, was
inspired in part by a year full of tragedies and
dramatic events both near and far. Like most
works inspired in that manner, the 11 tracks,
all written by Jones, reflect not only on how
these events affect her life but also allow
listeners to relate to the way that these and
similar events affect them, making this a highly
personal album for all involved.
Jones can play
just about anything you give her (the liner
notes for just this album list dobro, acoustic
and rhythm guitar, harmonica, Hammond B3, and
tack piano), but she’s also a marvelous singer
and, as heard on this release, a top notch
songwriter. She’s backed by her longtime band,
which includes guitarist Jeff Menteer, drummer
Rick J. Bowen, and bassist/father Tom Jones, and
several guests, which include Sean Denton
(guitar), Angelo Ortiz (washboard), Lee Oskar
(harmonica), and Mike Marinig (sax, flute).
The opener is
“Mojo Potion #61 & 49,” an interesting twist on
the Journey to the Crossroad tale, told from a
woman’s perspective this time around. The
poignant ballad “Wait For Heaven” is a tribute
to a friend who perished in a house fire, “Can’t
Find Love” is a catchy little country rocker,
“Stomp Jump Boogie” is a lively instrumental
that features Oskar and Jones on harmonica, and
“Can’t You Be Mine,” a soulful ballad with
Denton’s guitar and Marinig’s sax and flute
blending magnificently, features one of Jones’
best vocal efforts.
The energetic “I
Fell In Love” is next, followed by the powerful
title track, which Jones wrote following the
tragic mass shooting at the Orlando night club
in June of 2016. The frantic jump blues “One
Stop Light” will gets toes tapping and tail
feathers shaking, while the honky tonk stepper
“Gotta Get Over You” and “Tough Girls Never Cry”
should both be mainstays on country music radio
stations. The closer is the old school rock and
blues boogie “I’ll Be On My Way,” which brings
the album to a fitting finale.
Stacy Jones
continues to improve with each release, Love
Is Everywhere being her best, most balanced
release yet. It’s only a matter of time before
the rest of the blues world catches up with the
Pacific Northwest and starts giving this lady
her due.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Jon Spear
Band has enjoyed success with both of their
previous releases, Old Soul and Live
Music Is Better, both of which finished high
in the Roots Music Report’s Contemporary Blues
Album Charts in 2015 and 2016, respectively. In
fact, Live Music Is Better was a nominee
for Best Live Blues Recording in the 2016 Blues
Blast Magazine Award and also was a finalist in
for the 2017 I.B.C.’s Best Self-Produced CD.
The band’s third
album, Hot Sauce, contains all of these
ingredients with 12 originals written by
guitarist Spear and the band (Dara James –
vocals/guitar/harmonica, Andy Burdetsky – bass,
John Stubblefield – drums). Spear and James
split vocal and lead guitar chores throughout.
James takes the mic for the edgy coming-of-age
opener, “Bottom of the Bottle,” the feel-good
Caribbean pop “Geographical Cure,” the zesty
R&B-flavored title track, and the lively “Hit
the Quarter.”
James also sings
on the more serious numbers, “Noah’s Blues,”
about man’s occasionally insatiable need to
hunt, kill, and poach animals for sport,
“Wintertime,” a subdued elegy about the plight
of the homeless, “Blues for a Soldier,” an
enthusiastic shout-out to those in uniform who
defend our country, and “Natchez Burning,” a
haunting new song about the 1940 burning of the
Rhythm Night Club in Natchez previously made
famous in song by Howlin’ Wolf, with haunting
background vocals from Yolanda Jones and
Nathaniel Star.
Spear sings on
the amusing rockabilly raver “Really Great Gig,”
the acoustic “Pierre Jourdan,” which is set in
the 1800s and tells the story of a New Orleans
gambler, “Butt-Dial Kyle,” which really needs no
explanation but is great fun, and “Cheap Whisky
and Stale Cigarettes,” about succeeding after
starting at rock bottom. The band is supported
on several songs by Nate Brown (percussion),
Marty Metcalfe (accordion), Butch Taylor
(keyboards), and Ron Holloway (sax).
Hot Sauce
gives further proof to the fact that The Jon
Spear Band is one of the most talented bands
playing the blues right now. They show an
amazing versatility with their music, mixing
blues, soul, and rock in equal measures. The
two-headed vocal/guitar attack with Spear and
James is highly effective and the rhythm section
is most righteous. Add a highly unique
songwriting approach that includes entertaining
party songs, interesting story songs, and other
thought-provoking fare, and you’ve got a disc
that deserves to heard and heard again.
--- Graham Clarke
 Steve Antry
worked for the railroad as a track laborer as a
teen, lying about his age to get the job. He
became enthralled by songs sung by the other
laborers as they replaced old track. He joined
the church choir to meet cute girls and his
vocal talents were noticed by the choir
director, who was also Dean of Music at the
University of Tulsa and became Antry’s musical
mentor, giving him free vocal training for
years. However, Antry decided to pursue a career
in business and finance, while continuing to
sing at weddings, funeral services, and in
various gospel groups before retiring and
deciding to make music a full-time endeavor.
Now billing
himself as Antry, he has decided to heed
his higher calling with the release of Devil
Don’t Care (Tres Lobas Enterprises), a
wondrous ten-song set of Gospel-based blues
recorded in Nashville, produced by his manager
Peter Carson, and featuring several of the
city’s finest musicians in support --- bassist
Michael Rhodes, steel guitarist Dan Dugmore,
drummer Greg Morrow, and guitarists Rob McNelly,
Pat Buchanan, and Bret Mason, along with guest
appearances by vocalist Shaun Murphy and
guitarist Anthony Gomes.
Antry and Carson
wrote the title track, a hard-charging blues
rocker, but the remainder of the track list
consists of inspirational numbers from a variety
of genres. “Always With Me” is a beautiful R&B
love song written by Babyface and Darius Rucker,
in Antry’s hands, it’s transformed into a
different, but still beautiful, sort of love
song to the Creator. Gary Nicholson and Kenny
Greenberg’s “How Far Down” is given a fierce
reading by Antry with vocal support from Murphy,
while Don Goodman’s tale “Fishin’” gets a gentle
acoustic reading, and serves as a tribute to
Antry’s father.
The recently
departed Leon Russell’s ’70s hit “Prince of
Peace” gets a glorious rocking resurrection with
Antry pleading to his listeners to accept our
fellow man, despite our differences, and thanks
to his comforting vocal his reading of Diane
Warren’s tear-jerker “Borrowed Angels” serves as
solace for those who have suffered the loss of a
child. The second Nicholson cover, “Devil Gone
Fishin’,” is a warning to the wicked fueled by
Gomes’ emphatic fretwork.
“Sending Me
Angels” was written by one of the unsung rockers
of the ’70s, Frankie Miller, and noted
songwriter Jerry Lynn Williams. Antry’s
sensitive interpretation of the song reflects on
the many gifts from God he has received in his
life. R. Scott Brian’s “Get Up” is a song of
righteous encouragement and would have been a
great fit during the call and response portion
of a tent revival. The closer is a sweet cover
of the ’50s smash hit, “Special Angel,” which
features an amazing vocal turn from Antry as he
pays respects to the musical idols he grew up
listening to.
Steve Antry’s
vocals are a gift that most vocalists would love
to have (a three-octave range) and he does a
fantastic job with these inspirational songs of
faith. For believers and non-believers, the
music of Devil Don’t Care will be manna
from Heaven.
--- Graham Clarke
 The Halley
DeVestern Band has been quiet in the studio
since late 2013, when their release Fabbo!
Smasho! Boffo! blasted its way through the
blues world. Big-voiced DeVestern has been
compared to Joplin, and she did tour with Big
Brother & the Holding Company once upon a time,
but she’s no mere carbon copy for sure. She can
do slow burn and roof-raising with equal flair,
and she covers a lot of ground on their recent
EP release, Keep On Playin’ (DeVestunes &
Li’l T), which features five original songs
penned by the band.
The title track
is a smoldering and defiant rocker, with a fiery
vocal from DeVestern and excellent support from
the band. “Time For You To Light Things” is
loose-limbed and funky R&B, while the sultry
ballad “Bangin’” shows DeVestern’s softer side.
The sizzling “Song In You” merges funk, rock,
and blues to great effect, and the closer of
this way-too-short set is another fine blues
rocker, “Hit Twice,” which finds DeVestern’s
bluesy vocal backed by slide guitar.
While DeVestern
is definitely the main attraction of Keep On
Playin’, the band backing her (Tom Heinig –
bass, David Patterson –guitar, Rich Kulsar –
drums, Steve Jabas – guitars/keyboards) deserves
accolades as well. There’s a lot of variety and
genre-crossing on these five songs and the band
handles it as smoothly as the singer does. Based
on the results of this EP, blues fans are way
overdue for a complete album from The Halley
DeVestern Band. Hopefully, their wish will be
granted soon.
--- Graham Clarke
 My fellow Blues
Bytes contributor Kyle Deibler really gave Karen Lovely’s latest release, Fish Outta
Water, the five-star treatment in our July
issue, so there’s very little that I can add to
his review. Born in Massachusetts but based out
of the Pacific Northwest, Ms. Lovely finished
second in the 2010 I.B.C. and garnered several
BMA nominations for her second and third
releases. Her latest release was produced by
Eric Corne and features a dozen original tracks
penned by either/or Corne, Lovely, and others.
What impresses me
the most about Ms. Lovely on this disc was her
ability to move so easily from blues to soul to
roots and Americana. Listeners will get the
sense that she lived these songs. She conveys
the desperation of being homeless on the title
track, perseverance on “Under the Midnight Sun,”
haunted restlessness on the chilling “Big Black
Cadillac,” and world-weariness on the stark
ballad “Hades’ Bride (There Was A Time).”
All of the
songwriting is first rate. “Molotov Cocktails”
is a scathing commentary on the state of world
affairs, while songs like the sparkling shuffle
“Next Time” reflect optimism in the next
relationship down the road, and “Nice and Easy”
is a heartbreaker about a lover pleading to be
let down easy by her mate who is cheating with
another. “Punk Rock Johnny Cash” has a retro,
rootsy feel and is dedicated to a subway
musician that crossed Lovely’s path.
Corne’s
production makes a great album even greater,
blending in a number of artists and a varied
array of instruments that really make each cut
stand out. Rick Holmstrom adds his distinctive
guitar work on several tracks, along with Doug
Pettibone, and guests Ben Rice (guitar and Dobro),
Eamon Ryland (slide guitar), and Al Bonhomme
(guitar and mandolin).
It’s a pretty
safe bet that you’ll see Fish Outta Water
collecting more nominations for Karen Lovely,
mainly because it’s her best work to date and it
would be a shame if it didn’t. I really admire
how she expanded her musical boundaries on this
disc, both as a singer and a songwriter.
--- Graham Clarke
 My first
introduction to Billy Price was at the
2016 BMA’s where he participated as part of the
opening “soul singer” review to kick off the
festivities at the Memphis Convention Center.
Billy and Otis Clay walked away with the Blues
Music Award for Soul Blues Album, and it was a
bittersweet moment for Billy with Otis’s
passing. So when his new disc on Vizztone,
Alive & Strange, showed up at my doorstep, I
was happy to have some new music from Billy.
Recorded live at Club Café in Pittsburgh, it’s a
raucous good time.
Billy and the
band open with an original tune, “It’ Ain’t a
Juke Joint Without the Blues,” and I’m sure that
any good Blues fan in the country knows this to
be true. “You’ve got a 40 oz on the table…you
got a sassy woman named Mabel…you got a barbecue
platter coming up…it ain’t a juke joint without
the blues.” Truer words have never been spoken,
and I’m pleased to see Billy segue to a tune by
William Bell, “Lifestyles of the Poor and
Unknown.” Down on his luck, Billy is lamenting
the loss of a woman he loved. “Cause since
you’ve been gone…I’ve lived the lifestyle of the
poor and unknown…things that we used to do now…I
do don’t do anymore…they just don’t seem the
same…like they did before.” We’ve all been
through break-ups and our routines definitely
change when a loved one moves on, and Billy’s no
different from the rest of us.
Next up is a
funky tune, “Something Strange,” and the guest
horns are lending their flavor to the mix.
Billy’s talking about a club, real or imagined,
called “Something Strange.” “You can’t find it
with your GPS…I found an invitation inside my
baby’s dress…how it got there…neither of us
know…we had an overwhelming urge to go…and it
was…something strange.” Sounds like a good time
to me and there’s definitely a party happening
there. The band strikes up a more somber tone as
Billy tackles “This Time I’m Gone For Good,” a
tune by Bobby “Blue” Bland. “The many times I’ve
left you…but I couldn’t stay away too long…thank
God for the strength…he gave to me…to leave
home…and stay strong…so when I leave this
time…make sure it’s understood…this time, I’m
gone for good.” Billy’s band is amazing, with
Steve Delach on guitar, David Ray Dodd on drums,
Tom Valentine on bass, Jim Britton on keys and
Eric DaFade on tenor sax. Tom and Jim add a lot
of the background vocals and Eric’s work on this
tune is simply sublime.
They move on to
“One More Day,” a tune by Mike Schermer and Earl
Thomas, and Billy pleads for his woman to hear
him out. “Now, these planes and trains and these
miles I’ve traveled…to make this living baby,
you know I got to go…but we can’t let this make
our love unravel…we’ve got a good thing going
on…please don’t think I could ever do you
wrong…we’ve got to hold on…for one more day.”
The road is hard enough without the strain it
puts on relationships and Billy appreciates the
love of the good woman he has at home. “Nothing
Stays the Same Forever,” a Percy Mayfield tune,
is the next tune Billy and the band tackle head
on. “Because dreams…from little seeds grow…and
so does everything alive…because…nothing stays
the same forever.” If you’re not growing, you’re
not living and Billy’s right, here, nothing
stays the same forever.
The attendees at
Club Café are having a good time and they
appreciate Billy tackling a James Brown tune
next, “Never Get Enough.” “She’s got a thing of
her own…and I don’t mind staying at home…I never
get enough…of that fine, foxy thing…I keep
wanting it…all the time…I can’t get enough.” The
horns are killer, Billy’s having a good time,
and they’re tearing it up on this tune. Next we
find Billy wondering, “What Have I Done Wrong,”
and his woman is leaving a bewildered Billy
behind. “Oh, baby…I feel so bad…you found
someone else…you know you’re going to make me
mad…I cried…well, I haven’t been myself,
baby…since you went away.” She appears to be
gone for good and Billy’s just going to have to
move on. Steve’s tearing it up on his guitar
solo, Matt Ferrero’s right behind him with a
stellar sax solo and I’m appreciating the band
having such a good time.
Another funky,
upbeat tune, “Lickin’ Stick,” is next and
Billy’s admiring his woman dancing in the
kitchen. “She’s got the radio sky high…this
girl’s just a little too fine…mama, come
quick…and bring your lickin’ stick.” The rest
I’m going to have to leave to your imagination.
Jim Britton’s keyboards provide the intro as
Billy and the band tackle a Little Milton tune,
“R.M. Blues,” next. Joe Herndon’s trumpet solo
accentuates Billy’s need to tell his woman the
truth, “Baby, I’m in love with you…but I’ve got
to let you go…you know the good book says…you’ve
got to reap just what you sow.” Billy takes
advantage of this tune to let the band show off
a little and they do a stellar job with all of
the various solos performed here.
Billy closes with
a funky original, “Makin’ Plans,” and Steve’s
guitar leads the way. “You gave no
indication…how would I have known…that you would
be so calculating, baby…that you could be so
cold…I gave you my heart, baby…placed it in your
hands…and when we were making love, you were
making plans.” This obviously doesn’t end well
and you can hear Billy’s betrayal in his voice
as he deals with the aftermath of the pain this
woman caused him. She was preparing to leave him
from the day their relationship started, and
Billy, you’re better off without her!
I’ve enjoyed this
opportunity to hear a full set with Billy and
his stellar band. It’s obvious they tore up Club
Café the night they recorded this disc, and I
hope for the club’s sake that it’s still
standing. Billy’s based in the East Coast and
folks there have to appreciate what an amazing
artist they have in their midst. You can find
Billy’s schedule and grab a copy of this disc on
his website at
billyprice.com.
Fans of great soul music should run, not walk,
right over there and grab a copy of Alive &
Strange now. It’s that good.
--- Kyle Deibler
 Casey Hensley
is a name I’ve been hearing a lot of buzz about
lately, and I know she’s coming off a killer
performance at the Big Blues Bender in Las
Vegas. She’s blessed to have folks like Laura
Chavez and Evan Caleb Yearsley in her corner,
and they contributed heavily to her first
release, Live, recorded at Thunderbird
Analog Studios, the home of the Paladins. I’m
glad to see Casey included some original tunes
for this disc to complement the well-chosen
covers that showcase her talent and appreciation
of the Blues.
Laura Chavez’s
guitar provides the intro to a Big Mama Thornton
tune, “Big Mama’s Coming Home,” and Casey’s
leaving no doubt who’s in charge here. “Tell you
one thing, baby, not going to take no more…yes,
you cheated on me…one of us got’s to go…I’m
coming home.” Casey’s got a strong voice and
Jonny Viau’s sax compliments the back end that
Evan and bassist, Marco C., are laying down. As
for Laura’s fretwork, there’s none better and
I’m glad she’s a part of this project. “Put Your
Lovin’ Where It Belongs” is one of Casey’s
originals and it’s full of longing for her man
who’s neglecting her and her needs as a woman.
“You do me wrong…you did me wrong last week…you
do me wrong me next month…oh, baby…please come
home…put you love for me…where it belong.” There
are times that Casey’s vocals overwhelm the
enunciation of this tune’s lyrics and I wish
she’d back it down just a hair.
Another cover,
“You Can Have My Husband,” and Casey’s clear on
her opinions here. “You can have my husband…but
please don’t mess with man…I’m telling all you
women…I want you all to understand.” Laura’s
fretwork is amazing and it speaks volumes of
emotion to go with Casey’s vocals. A heavy bass
line from Marcus C. to go with Evan’s drum work
sets the tone for a Screamin’ Jay Hawkins tune,
“Spell on You,” and Casey is the enchantress
here. “I put a spell on you…because you’re
mine…you’d better stop the stuff you do
baby…you’re fooling around…I ain’t going to take
it, baby…I put a spell on you…because you’re
mine.” Jonny’s sax is killer here and the band
is definitely having a good time behind Casey.
I’m not surprised that Casey also chose to cover
“Hard Headed Woman” on this disc, and that’s all
I will say about that. “A hard headed woman…is a
thorn in the side of a man.”
Things slow down
a bit as Casey offers up another original,
“Don’t Want It to Stop,” a beautiful ballad.
“When you kiss me deep…I can feel it…all over my
body…when you touch me deep…I don’t want it to
stop…come closer to me baby…let me give you all
my love.” I like this original tune by Casey and
I’m glad it’s included on this disc. Willie
Dixon’s “I Just Want Make Love to You” is next,
and Casey’s intensity is readily apparent here.
“I don’t want you to wash your clothes…I just
want to keep you indoors…there ain’t nothing I
wouldn’t do…to keep on making…love to you.”
Jonny Viau’s blowing another strong sax solo in
the background and Casey’s surrounded by a very
talented group of musicians for this project.
The last of her
originals, “Hot! Hot! Hot!,” is next and Laura’s
guitar leads the way on this up-tempo swing.
“She’s hot…hot…hot…look at that girl…she’s hot.”
Evan and Marcus are keeping the back end rolling
along strong and that’s a good thing to go with
Laura’s fretwork. Another of Casey’s heroes is
Koko Taylor, and she tackles “Voodoo Woman”
next. “They call me the voodoo woman…and I know
the reason why…cause, Lord…if I raise my
name…the sky is going to cry.” We segue to “Too
Tired,” a Johnny “Guitar” Watson tune, and Casey
more than does it justice. “Well, time to
walk…time to run…I’m hear my baby calling…I’m
tired…too tired for anything.”
Last, but not
least, is another Big Mama Thornton tune, “Ball
and Chain.” and I’m impressed by Casey’s song
choices for her first release. Laura leads the
way and Casey’s set to go out in fine fashion.
“Sitting by my window…just looking out…at the
rain…I was sitting by my window…just looking out
the rain…so he came up and he grabbed a hold of
me…and it felt…like a ball chain.”
Live is a
good release from Casey Hensley, and she’s only
going to get better from here as she continues
to make a name for herself in the Blues. It’s a
testament to her abilities that Vizztone Records
signed her to their label for her next release
and I expect big things from her in the future.
Casey’s got a powerful voice, a great band, and
a passion for the genre I haven’t heard in
awhile. You can find out more about this
Southern California artist on her website,
www.caseyhensleymusic.com. Catch a show when
you can. The sky’s the limit and I look forward
to hearing more from Casey in the future.
--- Kyle Deibler
 Castro Coleman’s
on a roll. Two years ago he won the Blues Music
Award for Best New Artist, he’s putting the
finishing touches on his own club, Mr. Sipp’s,
and he’s back with his second effort for Malaco
Records, Knock a Hole In It. Though his
roots are steeped in gospel, it wasn’t until he
switched to Blues did Mr. Sipp make his
mark on the world.
Castro starts
with the title track, “Knock a Hole In It,” and
he’s proceeding to do just that. An accomplished
guitarist, Mr. Sipp’s been at his craft for well
over 30 years and playing to crowds wherever he
goes. “I am playing the Blues…playing with all
my heart…can you feel it…I’m traveling all over
the world…playing my music….the music has not
limits so I have no choice…but to knock a hole
in it.” More of Castro’s fretwork lays the
groundwork for our next cut, “Bad Feeling,” and
I’m hearing Carrol McLaughlin on the organ as
well. Castro’s got the feeling that something’s
up with his woman and it turns out he’s right.
“Well, she don’t treat me like she used to…she’s
always in a nasty mood…when her cell rings…she
smiles…cause it must be that other dude.” Sounds
like it’s time to let her go to me. Castro’s
frenetic fretwork echoes the pain he feels and
we all can feel his misery.
“Stalking Me” is
a tune with a different twist, involving the
technology available to everyone today. “I met
this girl…at one of my shows…and I thought she
was nice…turns out…something was wrong with
her…that girl wasn’t right.” She got Castro’s
Facebook page information and her stalking of
him began. Between Facebook messages and
texting, the girl just wouldn’t go away. Castro
even told her he was married and the harassment
continued. “Why are you stalking me?” We’re not
sure what he did to get rid of her but she has
to go. “Sea of Love” features an intricate
guitar solo to start with and here we find Mr.
Sipp madly in love. “I’ve never felt this
feeling before…and I will cherish this
moment…for evermore…oh, it’s amazing how one can
feel…so much love in one place…it feels like I’m
drowning…in a sea of love.” There isn’t a better
feeling in all the world and Castro is lucky to
have found the love of his life.
We move on to
“Gotta Let Her Go” and it’s a tale of a
different set of circumstances. “Let me tell you
about this woman…that I love so much…my friends
keep telling me…she ain’t worth a…oh, I love
that woman…but I got to let her go…she keep
telling all her friends, that…she don’t love me
anymore.” She shows one side to Castro, another
to her friends, she’s got to go. “Going Down”
finds the story continuing as Castro continues
to reflect on the pain the woman in his life is
causing him. “I treated her like a Queen…every
day of her life…she’s the kind of woman…every
man wanted for his wife…at least I thought
so…she got me going down…down…down.” She moved
on and lived to regret her choices when she
found her new man didn’t treat her as well as
Castro did.
“Baby You're
Mine” is another beautiful ballad from Mr. Sipp,
and he’s showing the woman he loves just how
much she means to him. “Sitting here...just
thinking about the things we used to do…no one
on earth can compare to you…time and space…has
carried me away…Baby, you're mine.” Time and
distance can weaken the bond he feels for her
but it will never go away. At this point I’m
glad Mr. Sipp moved on to the next track, “Juke
Joint,” and the mood here has definitely
changed. “Everybody…I want you to follow me down
to Mississippi…where you can find…the Juke
Joint.” It’s a reference to Mr. Sipp’s and I’m
going to have to visit it at some point when it
opens. As we all know, everything happens at the
“juke joint.”
Next up is
“Strings Attached,” and here we find Castro
having a sit down with the woman he loves to
address the relationship he feels is crumbling
apart. “If you’re going to love me…there’s going
to be strings attached…and the love that I give
to you…I hope that one day, Baby…you give it
back.” It takes two to tangle and she’s not
meeting Castro in the middle anymore. I’m not
sure the relationship is going to make it, but
kudos to Mr. Sipp for recognizing the problem
and trying to make it work. Mr. Sipp’s ready to
party and he proceeds to do so in the next cut,
“Turn Up.” “There’s a party going on
tonight…everything is feeling right…don’t you
worry about all of the things…that you’re going
to through…just tell the DJ…to play your
favorite song…and turn up…turn it loose.” The
mood changes back to love as Castro share his
pain with us in “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore.”
“Can you please tell me…what happened to the
love…that you and I…we used to share…now, it
seems like every day…you’re pulling farther and
farther away from me…I want to know…know…know..If
the love I have for you…lives in your heart
anymore?” I’m not sure Castro’s going to like
the answer he gets, but his love for his woman
is strong and I can appreciate his desperation
at potentially losing a love that is his entire
world.
I’m happy to hear
Mr. Sipp switch trains of thought and sing a
song for the ladies, “Love Yourself.” “If your
man is trying to bring you down to a
level…always tearing you down…to make himself
feel better…you’ve got to stop…and love
yourself.” Sound advice and Castro’s spot on
here, there are so many men in the world who
don’t know how to treat a good woman right and
ultimately, it’s up to the woman to love herself
enough to demand the kind of love and respect
she deserves.
Castro and the
band close out the record with “Little Wing.”
“Well, she walks through the crowd…like a circus
clown…running wild…now, when I’m sad…oh, she
comes to me…with a thousand smiles…take
anything…anything you want from me.” It’s a
beautiful rendition of a Jimi Hendrix original,
and Castro more than does it justice.
It would seem
that the vision Castro Coleman has for his music
goes hand in hand with all of the legends that
have preceded him at Malaco. He’s definitely in
his element, tapping into that Southern soul
side of his personality, but make no mistake
about it, he can crank out a mean blues riff in
a heartbeat if he feels like it. Knock a Hole
in It is his second release for Malaco and it
continues to show the evolution of this proud
Bluesman from Mississippi. You can learn all
about him at his website,
www.mrsipptmbc.net, and appreciate his
journey first hand. And if you get to Mr. Sipp’s
place before I do, have a drink for me.
--- Kyle Deibler
 Brother Sun
Sister Moon is comprised of guitarist Dave
Lambert and drummer Donna Dahl. They are the
closest thing to a Mississippi Juke Joint Duo
that you will find in the woods of Minnesota, and
they do Hill Country Blues just fine, thank you.
Their latest record is called Liberty, let’s
give it a spin and turn the volume up.
Dave Lambert’s guitar provides the intro for
“Bentonia Blues” and Donna’s on the mic for
vocals as she tells us she’s heading south.
“Well, I’m going down south…to Mississippi…my
new home…going to stick my feet…in that Muddy
waters bank…I’ll play those hometown blues…ain’t
going to leave nothing in the tank.” Full out is
the only way Dave and Donna know, and I’d expect
nothing less from them. “Aint Got No Money” is
our next track and it’s a common complaint
amongst all of us. “Ain’t got no money…ain’t got
no game…no sense in asking if you could be my
man…I can’t pay for a thing.” Dave hits a
beautiful slide solo in this tune and Donna’s
clear that you need to love her for who she is,
cause, she ain’t got no money.
Big George Brock
joins the party with his harp and the vocal for
“St. Paul Woman,” the next cut on this disc.
“Well…this north side woman…she acting like a
clown…every time I turn my head…the little girl
is fooling around.” George’s solution is to
cross the river and find himself a “St. Paul
Woman” instead. He blows a mean harp here and
it’s a cool addition to the mix.
Up next is “Old Negro Spiritual,” and it’s based
on a poem written by Pulitzer Nominee Maurice
Manning. Maurice granted permission to Dave and
Donna to set the story to music, as it centers
around a character named Catfish. It’s an
interesting addition to the mix but somehow it
fits just fine.
We segue to “Slavery Blues” and
Dave sets the tone here with his guitar. “Go
out…and wonder why the black man…he sang the
blues…say this country’s free…and people…I look
around…I don’t see no freedom here me.” Stark
and honest in its truth, this tune definitely
harkens us back to that time in our country
where music was one of the few outlets blacks
had to call their own. We turn to religion as
Dave tells us he going to join the church in
“Preachin’ Blues”. “I wish I had…a heaven of my
own…get all my friends…along in happy
homes…going to get religion…I’m going to join
that Baptist church…going to be a Baptist
preacher so I won’t have to work.”
“Can’t Push the River” finds Dave imparting
words of wisdom to us all. “There are some
things…well, you just can’t control…you can’t
push the river…you gotta know when to let go…you
can’t push the river…you can’t push the stream.”
Donna’s got a strong backbeat going for our next
tune, “Darkness Coming On,” handling the lead vocal as
well. “I’ve been crying…I’ve been waiting here
for you…I’m so desperate at home…feels like
darkness coming on.” Here she’s questioning who
she is as a woman and the feelings of emptiness
she has inside her soul, hence the darkness
coming on. We finally hear a note of optimism as
Brother Sun Sister Moon move on to “Everlasting
Love.” “I have loved you…with everlasting love…I
have you…with everlasting love.” I appreciate a
break from the somber tone of the disc so far
and appreciate the joy in Donna’s voice as she
sings of the lover for her man.
The title track, “Liberty,” is next and Dave
sings about a broken woman he knows of. “She’s
full of broken dreams…and broken ideas…her
broken family…struggle to get by…they don’t know
they’re broken…by the tears in their eyes…she’s
purified in Liberty.” Leaving it all behind
seems to be the only way she’ll truly ever be
free and enjoy the purification of Liberty. A
more somber tone and mood lead us to “Soldier’s
Prayer,” a tribute to all who have served.
“Lord, I know that I have been wrong…I am
weak…you are strong…please forgive what I have
done…give me strength to carry on…Lord, I bring
my prayer to you…hoping you’ll know what to do.”
Beautiful, probably my favorite cut on the disc.
Our mood lightens as the intro to “Changing
Times” leads us to our next cut. “It’s time to
do thinks different…time to let the younger’s
rule…will they do any better…than me and you?
Dave asks the question here and it’s definitely
one to ponder. Will the generation that follows
be of more service to the world and make it a
better place to live than our generation did?
Only time will tell.
“Wishing You Were Here” is one of the two final
tracks on the disc, and here we have Donna
singing lead. “I wish you here…the north shore
is nice this time of year…the waters are calling
your name…the wild searching heart you got…but
your love has got me so shaken…I don’t know at
all what to do.” Love is in the air and
hopefully Donna will figure it out soon. We
close with “Too Much Worry” and Dave’s picking a
bass line to kick it off. “I can’t sleep…can’t
sleep at night for worrying…you got me walking
the floor…wondering where my soul’s going.” The
world’s changing and Dave is definitely
wondering where he fits in with all the madness
that exists these day.
Liberty is
an interesting record from Brother Sun Sister Moon. Adam Crowley
adds a taste of keyboards to the mix but
essentially this is a duo record that accurately
captures the eclectic tastes of these two
artists from Minnesota. I’ve enjoyed the listen
and you will to as this is not a typical record
by any means. You can learn more about Dave and
Donna from their website at
brothersunsistermoon.net.
While you’re there,
grab a copy of Liberty. It will set you free.
--- Kyle Deibler
 Hurricane Ruth assembled a dream team when it
came to recording her latest record, Ain’t Ready
For the Grave. Tom Hambridge’s producing and
playing drums, Reese Wynans is on keys Michael
Rhodes on bass, Pat Buchanan and Rob McNelley on
guitars. It really doesn’t get any better than
this. Let’s throw the CD into my player and see
what magic Tom managed to coax out of Ruth and
the band.
“Well, it’s Friday night…let the good times
roll.” sings Ruth as we kick off with
“Barrelhouse Joe’s,” a song about a juke joint
that Ruth seems to frequent quite often. “He’s
got Jack on ice…and 50 cent schooners of beer…he
got red hot Blues…the Rhythm Kings are
here…forget about your worries…forget about your
cares.” Barrelhouse Joe’s sounds like my kind of
place and it ain’t nothing but a good time for
sure. Reese is tinkling the ivories and
everybody’s having fun. Tom’s got a heavy
backbeat going with Michael and Reese joining in
as the band plays the lead to “Hard Rockin’
Woman.” “I’m a hard rocking woman…a hard rocking
woman…I’m a hard rocking woman…I want the whole
world to know…a rebel child…without a cause…I
never did give a damn…cause I’m a hard rocking
woman.” That pretty much covers Hurricane Ruth
and she’s definitely a spitfire, indeed.
A
smooth slide guitar provides the intro to “Far
From the Cradle,” and I’m appreciative of the
change in tone. “One day, the Reaper…he’ll be
coming round the corner…but before he gets
here…let’s have ourselves a ball…you know we’re
far from the cradle…but we ain’t ready for the
grave.” Ruth is working hard to coax her man
into a few more good times before their time is
done and over with. I have no doubt she was
successful in her mission.
“Estiline” picks the tempo back up and Ruth’s
not shy about admonishing a woman playing with a
married man. “Estiline…Estiline…leave that
married man alone…you’re going to wind up by
yourself…with no man to call your own.” The
lesson doesn’t get any clearer than that, and
hopefully Estiline will heed Ruth’s words of
wisdom.
Tom is banging on the pots and pans as
Ruth sings about being a “Beekeeper.” “I’m a
beekeeper…come and be my honey bee…well, now
bring it on home to the honeycomb…bring it own
home to me.” Ruth’s clear who the Queen of the
hive is and we all should be as well. “I’m your
honey dripping mama…you know what I mean.” The
band slows the tempo down and I hear Reese on
the organ in the background as Hurricane Ruth
sings the beautiful ballad, “My Heart Aches For
You”. “Just me and my old friend, Jack
Daniels…he’s always there to handle…my shattered
world…as it crashes to the ground…baby, I wish
you could see…what your leaving has done to
me…my heart aches for you.” Ruth’s pain is real
and her man meant the world to her. Her good
friend Jack will help but this pain is going to
stay with Ruth for a long time to come.
A funky groove provides the intro to “Cheating
Blues,” on which Ruth tells us about another man who
treated her badly. “Used to hold your hand…used
to kiss you right…used to take you home…and rock
you all night…I can’t believe…that was real love
I wasted on you…you blinded me with lies…with
your low down, cheating blues.” You might fool
Ruth once but definitely not twice, and this no
good man is gone for good. I love the hard
rocking intro to “Whole Lotta Rosie,” a tune
Ruth wrote about a big woman she knows. “I never
saw one…a woman like you…doing all the things
you do…you’re a whole lotta woman…a whole lotta
Rosie…and you’re a whole lotta woman.” She may
be big but there was magic in Rosie’s hips and
she knew how to work it right.
A wicked slide
guitar intro along with Tom’s drums and we’re
transported back into the Hill Country somewhere
as Ruth brings us “For A Change.” “Now, if you
want me baby…that can be arranged…how you’d like
to be treated right…for a change.” Ruth comes
across a man whose woman mistreats him badly, and
Ruth’s clear that she will take better care of
him than he’s ever known. “For a change of
heart…won’t you let me in…I’m the one…I’m the
one…you’ll never spend a lonely night again.”
This theme of Ruth taking better care of a man
than the woman he has continues with “Let Me Be
the One.” “We could be so good together, yea,…we
could damn sure have some fun…you won’t find no
body better…oh, no…well, come on baby…let me be
the one.” One thing you have to love about Ruth
is that she’s definitely direct and to the
point. There aren’t any games played when she’s
around.
Reese is back at the organ and the
McCrary Sisters join the band for the final two
tracks. “Good Stuff” is up first, and again Ruth
is making the case for her good loving. “I’ve
got the good stuff for you in the morning….I’ve
got that good stuff in the night…I’m like a
smooth shot of whiskey…going to make you feel
alright.” I have absolutely zero doubt that Ruth
will more than make good on everything she’s
promising here. Considering a good portion of
the record has more to do with sinning than
salvation, I find it fun that Ruth chooses to
close her record out with the gospel tune “Yes
I Know.” “But, wherever I may walk…I
never…never…go alone…because I have my savior…by
my side…and if I know…if my Lord will comfort
me…yes, I know…my Lord will give me peace.”
I think it’s fairly easy to say that Hurricane
Ruth is definitely nowhere close to being ready
to leave this earth. Ain’t Ready for the Grave
is ample proof of that. A wonderful collection
of original tunes that producer Tom Hambridge
does a masterful job of blending into the final
product. An A-List of musicians to work withm and
its obvious Ruth had a great time in the studio.
You can find out more about this artist on her
website at
www.hurricaneruth.com, and be sure to
grab a copy of her new record while you’re
there. It will stay in your CD player for most
of the year. When you get it, turn it up!
--- Kyle Deibler
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