Billboard Album Review - Colin Linden - From The Water
June 15, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Other
Billboard Album Review - Colin Linden - From The Water
Billboard.com Album Review - Colin Linden - From The Water
Ben Harper & Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times
May 26, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Other, New Album - Rock
Ben Harper & Relentless7 - White Lies for Dark Times - Album Review
“Ben Harper is that rare talent able to not only vacation in the worlds of gospel, soul, folk and even reggae, but meld them gracefully together on both album and stage. But sometimes you just want him to rock, like he did on 1995’s “Ground on Down.” And, at long last, he’s assembled a new band that seems dedicated to just that, and it’s a beautiful thing. The bare-knuckled “Lay There and Hate Me” is a head-on collision between soul and rock, a grittier, angrier “Gimme Shelter.” “Keep It Together” is a worthy tribute to Led Zeppelin, proudly bearing the influence of Harper’s 2007 Bonnaroo jam with John Paul Jones. The eyes-closed, fist-shaking, prayer-through-song side of Harper often comes through, most effectively on “It’s Up to You,” a slow-building tsunami of sound. The band quiets later in the disc, which might have been a buzz kill if the songs weren’t so damn good.”
Roy Rogers - Split Decision
May 16, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Other
Roy Rogers - Split Decision - Album Review
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Roy Rogers - Split Decision
“Slide guitar whiz Roy Rogers has a strong album with “Split Decision,” and it’s a signature project. Rogers produced the record and authored or co-authored all the songs. His Delta Rhythm Kings bandmates Steve Ehrmann (bass) and Billy Lewis (drums, percussion) constitute his studio rhythm section, and Rogers is joined by such guests as guitarist Ottmar Liebert and sax man George Brooks. The album opens at a furious pace with “Calm Before the Storm,” a wall-of-sound number punctuated by Rogers’ stinging slide guitar. In a quieter vein, Rogers teams with Liebert on the instrumental “Your Sweet Embrace,” a little slice of guitar romanticism that provides a nice mood shift. Another notable instrumental track, “Rite of Passage,” affords saxophonist Brooks an opportunity to shine on a bluesy jazz piece. For something with more blues grit, listen to Rogers put the buzz in “Little Queen Bee.” —Philip Van Vleck”
Cyril Neville - Brand New Blues
April 26, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Other
Cyril Neville - Brand New Blues - Album Review
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Cyril Neville - Brand New Blues
“Cyril Neville may be the youngest of the Neville Brothers, the first family of New Orleans rock and R&B, but he has just made his best album. “Brand New Blues” ably covers a lot of territory, from the Southern soul of “I’ll Take Care of You” to the Sly Stone rumble of the title song to the Slim Harpo cooking show that is “Cream Them Beans.” There is terrific guitar playing throughout from producer Brian J, who co-wrote most of the originals with Neville, and guest appearances by older brothers Art Neville and nephew Ivan Neville on organ and Tab Benoit on guitar. Although the more standard blues songs have their share of mean women, they’re nothing compared to the politicians in “Cheatin’ and Lyin’ ” or “Mean Boss Blues” who betray and disappoint honest folks. That is most clear in the finale, a 10-minute rendition of Bob Marley’s “Slave Driver” that moves the scene to post-Katrina New Orleans, and is a striking, yet very funky, indictment of hypocrisy and abandonment. —Wayne Robins”
Shemekia Copeland - Never Going Back
February 24, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Other
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Shemekia Copeland - Never Going Back
“Shemekia Copeland is, at this point in her career, a blues artist of the first magnitude. But rather than debut with her new label by methodically working the groove that got her here, she has cut a dozen tunes that suggest she’s ready to crunch a few genres. Copeland also shows a willingness to get topical, as evidenced by the opener “Sounds Like the Devil,” in which she takes on jive politicians and religious mercenaries. “Broken World,” a quiet tune with a soulful feel, expresses a wish to fix “a small part of this broken world.” Copeland departs bluesville in covering Joni Mitchell’s “Black Crow,” slipping convincingly into Oliver Wood’s jazz-inflected arrangement. Yet another highlight is “Never Going Back to Memphis,” a shadowy tale with a low-key swamp rock vibe that suits Copeland as perfectly as any song on the album. —Philip Van Vleck”
Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat - Tijuana Bible
February 21, 2009 by Willis
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Jim Suhler and Monkey Beat - Tijuana Bible
“Texan Jim Suler has been George Thorogood’s lead guitarist for the past decade. But he’s also led his own band, Monkey Beat, for quite a while, and with it, Suler conjures up a serious Texas roadhouse blues-rock mojo. The album opens with the title track, simmering in a low-down buzz that truly sets the tone for what’s to follow. Elvin Bishop takes on the slide guitar chores on his song “Drunken Hearted Boy,” and Suler and his crew take on AC/DC’s “Up to My Neck in You,” summoning the requisite fury in preparation for Suler’s blazing guitar solo. The beautiful thing about this album is that it starts out nasty and just gets meaner. “Chaos in Tejas,” “Years of Tears,” “Mexicali Run” and “I Could’ve Had Religion” deepen a groove that is ultimately Texas juke-joint paradise. —Philip Van Vleck”
Guy Davis - Sweetheart Like You
February 15, 2009 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Other
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Guy Davis - Sweetheart Like You
“Guy Davis’ last record for Red House, 2006’s “Skunkmello,” was one of the best blues albums released that year. It’s a difficult act to follow, but, Davis is back with “Sweetheart Like You,” an album that’s essentially a continuation of the country blues brilliance that has become his special province. He covers several great tunes here, including a fairly sizzling version of Willie Dixon’s “Hoochie Coochie Man,” a gut-bucket take on “Baby Please Don’t Go” and a stirring rendition of Lead Belly’s “Ain’t Goin’ Down.” Among Davis’ numerous original numbers, “Words to My Mama’s Song” is a modern man’s talking blues that will reach out and grab the listener, while “Sweet Hannah” is a gentle love song. Another inspired moment comes as Davis lays a five-string banjo on Muddy Waters’ “Can’t Be Satisfied.” —Philip Van Vleck
Blues”
The Derek Trucks Band - Already Free
January 22, 2009 by Willis
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The Derek Trucks Band - Already Free
“Derek Trucks could very well be the best guitarist of his generation, and his sixth studio disc is his band’s most accessible blues-rock set to date. Trucks hones the R&B, jazz and Middle Eastern influences of his previous outings into a tight groove on Already Free. It kicks off with a gritty, swamp-boogie take on Dylan’s “Down in the Flood” and stomps through a cover of the Southern-soul classic “Sweet Inspiration.” The originals pull their weight, from the dusty, field-recording vibe of the title track to “Get What You Deserve,” a distorto-blues monster. And appropriate for an album recorded at home, Trucks’ wife, Susan Tedeschi, delivers some Bonnie Raitt sass on the track “Back Where I Started.”
Various Artists - Last of the Great Mississippi Delta - Live In Dallas
December 7, 2008 by Willis
Filed under New Album - Other
“This epic gathering of blues legends finds David “Honeyboy” Edwards, Robert Lockwood Jr., Henry James Townsend and Pinetop Perkins having a hell of a night for a quartet with an average age of 91. They’re featured here on 18 tunes taped in 2004 in Dallas, ranging from the elemental country blues of Muddy Waters’ “Country Boy,” performed by Edwards, to an uptempo arrangement of “Hangin’ On,” complete with a horn section, featuring Lockwood on vocals. Along the way, Perkins knocks down a very hip cover of “Kansas City” and then tears it up again on “Got My Mojo Working.” Henry James Townsend works his way through a low-down blues shuffle on “If You Don’t Want Me,” and the album concludes with Lockwood’s wonderful cover of “See See Rider Blues.” —Philip Van Vleck”
Taj Mahal - Maestro
October 16, 2008 by Willis
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Taj Mahal - Maestro
Forty years on from his self-titled debut, Taj Mahal follows four decades of mighty fine music with the release of “Maestro.” Some distinguished guests have contributed to this special record, including Los Lobos, Jack Johnson, Ben Harper, Ziggy Marley’s band and Mahal’s own Phantom Blues Band. Daughter Deva Mahal sings a number with her dad on “Never Let You Go,” backed by Los Lobos. “Maestro” is essentially 11 back-to-back highlights: Cue up “Zanzibar,” a song Mahal co-wrote with Angélique Kidjo, who also sings on the tune, with legendary Malian artist Toumani Diabate on kora. Check out Mahal on the banjo with his Phantom crew, knocking down some sweet blues on “Slow Drag,” and make a note to immerse yourself in the deliciously sinful groove of “Strong Man Holler.” —Philip Van Vleck
