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Monthly Archives: August 2018

At King Electric (CD) By Ray Bonneville

31 Friday Aug 2018

Posted by David Bowling in Cashbox Reviews In Brief

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At King Electric

Ray Bonneville

Stonefly Records 2018

Review by David Bowling

 

Ray Bonneville has carved out a nice blues niche for himself. He is a Texan who plays a no-nonsense brand of electric blues. He has returned with his ninth album titled At King Electric, which includes 11 original songs.

Bonneville draws on his life experiences to create the characters that inhabit his music. There stories are brought to life through his guitar, vocals, and harmonica with a minimalist rhythm section in support.

His gritty voice is made for  the blues and his instrumental ability enables him to produce an energetic and passionate sound.

Ray Bonneville has traveled from Vietnam to Europe to Alaska with a lot of stops in between at hundreds of bars and concert halls. At King Electric is his latest stop in his journey chronicled by the blues.

Rating: ***

A Woman’s Soul: Tribute To Bessie Smith (CD) By Rory Block

27 Monday Aug 2018

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A Woman’s Soul: Tribute To Bessie Smith

Rory Block

Stoney Plain Records 2018

Review By David Bowling

 

Rory Block has immersed herself in the blues for literally her entire adult life and part of her teenage years as well. Her five decade career, her prowess as a guitarist/vocalist, and her respect for the history and traditions of the blues have propelled her to the forefront of the American blues pantheon.

For the last decade she has been issuing a series of albums that have channeled, copied, and paid tribute to classic blues masters. Son House, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Reverend Gary Davis, Mississippi John Hurt, and Skip James have all been subjects of her approach. Her latest album explores the legacy of Bessie Smith.

A Woman’s Soul: Tribute To Bessie Smith is unique in that Smith is a woman and was primarily a vocalist.

Bessie Smith, 1894-1937, was a child of poverty who produced a gritty form of the blues. He songs were raw, as was she, and she was not admired within much of the blues community of the day for the crudeness of her approach. She was, however, one of the most commercially successful artists of the pre-second World War era as her songs resonated at a basic level.

Her stories were sexual, reflected the poverty around her, and dealt with the racial tensions of her time. “Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer,” “Need A Little Sugar In My Bowl,” “Weeping Willow Blues,” “Empty Bed Blues,” and “Do Your Duty” traveled her earthy journey.

To her credit, Rory does not try to imitate Smith but rather updates her music. Her guitar brings Smith’s songs into the 21st century and fills them in ways that were not available at the time of their creation. Her voice is smoother, which gives the material a different sheen. The songs survive in a different form and format and while they are lodged in the past, they remain powerful.

In many ways A Woman’s Soul: Tribute To Bessie Smith, is the most adventurous release in the series. It is a wonderful call from the past that should not go unheeded.

Rating: ****

Dopamine Machine And Acoustic Machine (CD’s) By Hadden Sayers

25 Saturday Aug 2018

Posted by David Bowling in Cashbox Music Reviews

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Dopamine Machine and Acoustic Machine

Hadden Sayers

HSB-CD 2018

Review by David Bowling

Two album reviews for the price of one. Dopamine Machine and Acoustic Machine may be separate releases but they are connected musically as two albums can be.

Hadden Sayers is a veteran Texas singer, songwriter, guitarist, vocalist, and bluesman. He has now returned with his 9th album.

Dopamine Machine is his hardest rocking blues album to date, as it fuses elements from rock and blues into one explosive mix. His guitar work remains impeccable.

It is also a very personal album as it draws from his own thoughts and experiences. Inspired by topics such as love at first sight, cell phone addition, an article in Rolling Stone Magazine, and a Rhythm & Blues Cruise; he paints a personal portrait of his life with his stinging guitar and gritty vocals.

Dopamine Machine is the strongest album of his career; at least for a short time.

So what does an artist do when he has created an excellent album? The answer is, you re-record it as an acoustic album and so Acoustic Machine was born. He is accompanied only by vocalist Ruthie Foster on one song and a friend, Joe Ed Cobbs, who provides percussion on various objects.

Listening to this album after hearing Dopamine Machine, provides a far different experience. It may be the same songs but they now have different textures as they are stripped to basics. Each song takes on a new emotional intensity as it keeps the focus on the lyrics.

Hadden Sayers has released to excellent but very different albums. They are fine examples of how songs can be interpreted differently. They are well-worth a listen.

Ratings: ***1/2 and ****

 

 

Children Of Paradise (CD) By Willie Nile

13 Monday Aug 2018

Posted by David Bowling in Cashbox Music Reviews

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Children Of Paradise

Willie Nile

River House Records 2018

Review by David Bowling

 

One of the kings of American rock and roll has returned with a new album. Willie Nile released seven albums during the first three decades of his career but now they are coming more quickly as this is his fifth release since 2013.

Lately he has issued an all piano album and one of Bob Dylan covers. Children Of Paradise is a return not only to his roots but to the roots of American rock as he has produced an album of all new compositions.

The album cover is representative of the contents. The faces are photographic images of people from his Greenwich Village neighborhood. While the portraits are of people rejected by society, the songs hook into and bring to life the dreams and realities of their lives. In many ways, the album is thematic in approach; all tied together by the album closing “All God’s Children.”

Songs such as “Seeds Of A Revolution,” “Gettin’ Ugly Out There,” “All Dressed Up An No Place To Go,” “I Defy,” and “Secret Weapon” have created a powerful album that runs from desolation to hope and all points in between.

The sound is basic and elemental rock as he is mostly supported by his live band, guitarist Matt Hogan, bassist Johnny Pisano, and drummer Jon Weber plus a few guest musicians. It adds up to infectious and thoughtful music that is appropriate for a party or late at night.

Niles has been a force in American rock and roll since he opened for the Who’s 1980 American tour. Children Of Paradise cements his status as a premier songwriter and musician. It is also one of the better albums of his career, which is very high praise.

Rating: ****

Blues Keep Knockin’ (CD) By Trudy Lynn

07 Tuesday Aug 2018

Posted by David Bowling in Cashbox Reviews In Brief

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Trudy Lynn

Blues Keep Knockin’

Trudy Lynn

Connor Ray Music

Review by David Bowling

 

Many people are very superstitious about the number 13 but Trudy Lynn is hoping that it is lucky for her as Blues Keep Knockin’ is her 13th solo album release.

She has becomes a blues staple. Her 2016 album, I’ll Sing The Blues For You, received a Blues Music Nomination, while her 2014 release, Royal Oaks Café, reached number one on the blues charts.

She is an interpreter of songs rather than a composer. She reaches back to the material of such classic blues singers as Etta James, Big Maybelle, Big Bill Broonzy, and Aretha Franklin among others.

She does not caress a song but rather overwhelms it with emotion and her big voice. “That’s Alright,” “One Monkey Don’t Stop The Show,” “I Sing The Blues,” “When I Been Drinkin,'” and “Never Been To Spain” all succumb to her passionate and energetic approach.

She is a classic blues singer. While her band, particularly when her brass section plays, has a modern feel; but when she sings on the breaks, she transport the listener back to the era of smoke filled clubs late at night.

Blues Keep Knockin’ is another strong effort from Trudy Lynn, so grab your favorite beverage, turn down the lights, and enjoy one of the better female blues singers working today.

Rating: ***1/2

 

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