Gravely James - From Steve's Shed - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, From Steve's Shed, by Gravely James and it's an upbeat folk blues release. Opening with 103, James shows a lot of energy on vocal and acoustic guitar with foot stomps and spoon like percussion featuring Gravely James (Chris Madronich) on vocal and guitar. Well structured ballad, Atlantis on My Lips has a radio friendly melody and a quiet approach making it my selection for radio play. With it's driving guitar rhythm and excited vocals, Farewell Anita is likely to be a strong crowd favorite in live performances with a memorable melody, hootin' and hollerin'. Shoot 'em Down has the classic lines of a traditional folk song with a super melody and straight forward accompaniment. With it's winsome whistling, Cold Stone Heart is a peppy little track with snappy guitar riffs and some of James' best vocals on the release. Wrapping the release is Beers with Joe Lapinski, a vibrant and energetic track with a cool contrast between the vocal and guitar. Cool closer for a cool release. 

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Steve Hill - Desert Trip - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Desert Trip, from Steve Hill, and it's an interesting blend of folk, rock and blues. Opening with Evening Star, a chant like blues track with a thumping drum beat and fleet fingered acoustic guitar work is a strong opener for one of Canada's most prolific guitar players. Rain is a real cool track with super vocals, a progressive melody and solid guitar accompaniment. Cold Hearts reminds me quite a bit of a Frank Black composition (Pixies) with it's solid melody, strong pace and tight package. Very nice. Another strong composition is I Won't, a simple acoustic and vocal ballad. Hill has a great way of blending a cool tune with interesting rhythm and just the right amount of finger work. Very nice. With it's firm foot stomp driving rhythm and guitar driven melody, Hill does some of his best vocal work on Make Believe. The track shows how simple guitar execution can be so tasty. Judgement Day has a cool blues/western sound with some of the components of an old western theme. I love the lower neck amplified guitar work as well as the built up dynamics under the blues/rock guitar soloing on this track. Excellent. Wrapping the release is super instrumental, Tail Lights, with Hill dancing nicely across the electric strings creating one really nice closer for a solid set of music. 

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Little Pig Records artist: Cousin Harley - Let's Go - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Let's Go, from Cousin Harley and it's a blast. Billed as Canada's premier hillbilly rockers, Cousin Harley opens with Right Back With The Blues, a country stepper. Paul Pigat on lead vocal and guitar, Jesse Cahill on drums and Keith Picot on bass make this track sound like it was recorded in the USA circa 1956 and I love it. Pigat's vocals are strong and chesty and his guitar playing a solid tele finger picking workout. Excellent! Jumping right on the throttle with heavy driving drums by Cahill, Let's Go has a heavy bass line that is almost metal like but the result of this track is nothing short of pure rock n' roll with berry like guitar riffs. Excellent! I'm a sucker for surf tunes and El Swarto's Big Adventure is a great instrumental with fat shimmery chords and a Latin beat. Great! Cool rag style jazz track, Dancing For Bobo is a cool country flavored jazz tune which could be straight from a Chet Atkins or Danny Gatton release with plenty of snap and strong fluid guitar lead work. Very nice. Another cool rocker with a dash of surf is Who's That Lyin' with traces to Son House and an infectious rhythm. This is not only a terrific track, it also is my choice for radio track on the release! Excellent! Bluesy rocker, Gone, Gone, Gone has a dark, Blind Willie McTell feel and another terrific entry. Pigat's vocals are nicely surrounded by the heat and sweat of a gritty hotel room and his guitar riffs are tight and meaningful. Very nice! Wrapping the release is Merle The Gypsy, sounding like Atkins meets Django. With fluid finger picking and an accelerated beat, this is a terrific closer for one of the best releases I've heard in a long time.

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Josh Piche' - Self Titled - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent self titled release from Josh Piche' and it's a cool set. Opening with Starry Eyes, a solid rocker with plenty of radio appeal, Josh Piche' is up front on guitar and lead vocal backed by Eddy Ruyter on keys, Steve Pelletier on bass and Don Pham on drums. Piche's vocals are really cool and his guitar attach sophisticated. Another track with solid radio appeal is Spend My Time with the addition of steel guitar work by Mitch Lewis. With it's softer approach, December Birds has a folky acoustic feel with light instrumentation and warm backing vocals. Wrapping the release is reggae flavored, Fools In Love with tight drum rhythms, mellow lap steel by Lewis and the addition of Anthony Brancati on keys and Mike Ferfolia on vocal. 

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Endrick and the Sandwiches - Green Room Rumble - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Green Room Rumble, from Endrick and the Sandwiches and it's a lot of fun. Opening with Junior Parker's Mystery Train, Montreal's own Endrick and The Sandwich has their blues groove on. Endrick Tremblay on lead vocal, harmonica, piano, and guitar leads the way, backed by Greg McEvoy on guitar, Simon Ebber on bass, and Mandella Coupal Dalgleish on drums. Willie Dixon's slow blues, Choo Choo has really nice feel with solid vocals and giving Tremblay a little space to show his guitar chops. Very cool. Trouble In Mind, made popular by Chippie Hill is sung as a quiet duet featuring Tremblay and Rene Lauziere and hitting the spot nicely. Slim Harpo's Scratch My Back is up next and is a cool ramble. Tremblay on harp and guitar captures the funky blues feel and backing vocals balance it nicely. Original track, Devil Does is my favorite track on the release with Endrick on lead vocal and guitar and a feel that blends the Hill Country sound with contemporary stripped down blues. Very nice. Wrapping the release is another Dixon track, You Can't Judge A Book By Looking At The Cover, with a distinctly early British invasion sound. This is a solid blues rocker and strong closer. 

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Beauwater - Who Works For Who? - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Who Works For Who?, by Beauwater, a cool blues rock band from Canada. Opening with title track, Who Works For Who?, Jonathon Reid, on lead guitar and vocal is upfront with Michael Maddox on drums, Greg Newhook on bass, Chris Kirby on slide guitar (which adds nicely to the opener) and keys. With a heavy lumbering rhythm, The Real McCoy has a great feel, augmented by Kelly Hoppe on harmonica and the rocking guitar work of Reid. Funky, Long Way Down is really working it with a great bass line by Newhook, with solid vocals by Reid, warm organ work by Kirby and and the addition of trumpet by Terry Campbell and sax by Chris Harnett. Poison is a solid blues rocker with strong radio appeal. With it's straight forward melody, tight drum rhythm and wailing harmonica under Reid's vocals, this is a strong track. Wrapping the release is One Way Out, another solid radio track with a strong melody. A definite blues rocker with added tension on keys, this is a super closer for a solid rock release. 

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Miss Emily - Live At The Isabel - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live at the Isabel, from Miss Emily and it's solid. Opening with Sometimes It's Better To Lose, Miss Emily takes command of the Isabel Bader Centre for the Performing Arts with her powerful vocals. Backed by Van Sheen, James McKenty and Rob Baker on guitar, Gord Sinclair on bass, Seamus Cowan on bass, Zak Colbert on bass, Sean Jensen and Rob Radford on drums, Benni Vander on keys, Jon "Bunny" Stewart on sax, and Spencer Evans on piano. Who Is He is a slinky R&B number with a cool guitar vamp and lush backing vocals by Kelly Prescott and Chad Murphy on backing vocals. Gospel flavored Three Words, is one of my favorite tracks on the release with super dynamics and heartfelt vocals, accompanied by piano. Very nice. The Letter, made popular by Joe Cocker is up next and really a strong rendition, closely following Cocker's arrangement. Soulful ballad, Blue Is Still Blue is a great showcase for Emily and another of my favorites on the release. With a sparse background, mostly piano, this track is strong. Another flavor is The Sellout with it's R&B basis. Emily hardly takes a breath nailing it to the wall and with rich backing vocals and tight guitar answer to her call, this track is very nice. Wrapping the release is Hold Back the River with it's gospel roots, acapella, handclaps and all. I really think that this is a cool release and one that should get some attention.

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Matay Records artist: Dione Taylor - Spirits In The Water - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Spirits In The Water, from Dione Taylor and it's a mix of pop, blues and rock. Opening with Water, a pop oriented track with blues roots, Dione Taylor on lead vocal and tambourine joined by Joel Schwartz on guitar, Lyle Molzan on drums, and Mark McIntyre on bass. With warm backing and a swaying rhythm, Down The Bloodline is a cool track and nicely complimented by Schwartz on banjo. Bluesy ballad, One More Shot is a real nice track that showcases Taylor's voice nicely. Cool dobro work by Schwartz adds another dimension and just the simplest of drum work by Molzan makes it one of my favorites on the release. Darkness is my choice for the radio track on this release with a solid melody, vocal layering and interesting guitar work sounding a bit like Fleetwood Mac. Wrapping the release is pop rocker, Running, with it's simple rhythm and solid melody. Taylor has put together a solid package with a broad variety of music.

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Steve Strongman - Tired of Talkin' - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Tired of Talkin', from Steve Strongman and it's his best release yet! Opening with title track, Tired of Talkin' with a wicked blues fused, southern rocker feel Strongman up front on lead vocal and guitar shows swagger. Backed by Dave King on drums, James Haggerty on bass, Jesse O'Brian on piano, Pat Sansone on on keys, and with Audrey Freed on guitars, excellent opener. Laid back, Still Crazy 'Bout You, is really cool with it's JJ Cale or Levon Helm texture. Strongman's dobro work complimenting his vocal work is the key. Funky, Just Ain't Right, is really fun with some strong slide work by Strongman, and tight bass/drum work by Haggerty and King and heavy organ by Sansone. Excellent! Hi octane blues rocker, Can't Have It All with Strongman on harmonica and guitar and snappy drumming by King really moves. Highway Man falls back into a more pure delta sound with dobro and vocal. This is stripped down and fluid. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Al Green's Let's Stay Together in it's original R&B format. Strongman does a real nice job on this track vocally and his added fusion style guitar soloing is tight. Solid closer. 

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Justin Saladino Band - Live - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Live, from Justin Saladino Band and it's a cool rocker with plenty of radio potential. Opening with Take What You Need, Saladino on lead vocal and guitar, joined by Antoine Loiselle on guitars, David Osel-Afrifa on keys, Denis Paquin on drums, Gabriel Forget on bass, and Lucie Martel on vocal and percussion. Continuing with it's happy go lucky pace and beat, Honey has a great melody and some real nice guitar work. On Tom Petty's You Don't Know How It Feels, Saladino adds in a little slide and some heavy organ giving the track a more bluesy feel. On blues ballad, Peace With You, Saladino really works the vocals laying down the best track on the release. Nicely phrased lead guitar soloing and a quiet background really elevate this track. Very nice. Another favorite on the release is Purple Girl with overdriven guitars with traces of Jimi or Gary Clark Jr. Really a cool blues rocker. Wrapping the release is No Worries a springy rocker with heavy overtones. I like the Haynes like guitar accents to the vocal lead and tight rhythm section on this track. This is a cool closer for a solid release. 

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Big Pacific: Welcome To The Party - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Welcome To The Party, from Big Pacific and it's a pretty cool rocker. Opening with title track, Welcome To The Party, Roly Sandoval on guitar and vocal, Nick Dokter on drums and vocals, Wayne Veillet on bass and vocals and John Hannah on keys set a solid groove. Sandoval's slide work gives the track a fun feel and Dokter's drumming keeps it tight. Slip Away is a strong pop rocker that reminds me of early Kinks or Who. With it's strong melody, blended male vocals, primarily piano accompaniment and slide guitar, it's a cool radio track. Hard Road is another radio track but with a smoother "Eagles" type approach. With it's "sweet" melody, clean guitar solo and warm vocal harmonies, the track is on good footings. Run To The Night is another firm track with influences of Tom Petty or Don Henley with isolated lead vocal and well placed keyboards and guitar lead. My favorite track on the release is Blue Moon Blues with it's double time rhythm, driving drums and guitar sequence and over the top organ. Very cool. Wrapping the release is country flavored Here's To Yesterday with acoustic guitar accompaniment and cool vocal blending. This is a cool and pleasurable rocker with a little bit for everybody. 

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The Smoke Wagon Blues Band - The Ballad of Albert Johnson - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Ballad of Albert Johnson, from The Smoke Wagon Blues Band and we got some tasty stuff here. Opening with title track, Ballad of Albert Johnson, a romping boogie with a great bass line courtesy Jason Colavecchia on bass and strong lead vocals and harmonica by Corey Lueck. With Mike Stubbs on guitar, Brandon Bruce on keys, Gordon Aeichele on sax, Steve Sherman on guitar, and Tibor Lukacs on drums, this is a strong opener. Bluesy ballad, Ain't Gonna Be Your Fool is a great showcase for Lueck's vocals and a super radio track. New Orleans flavored, Lay Say Lay has a great beat with great piano work by Bruce and snappy drum work by Lukacs and percussion by Sherman, topped off with really nice sax work by Aeichele and backing vocals by Stubbs, Bruce, Sherman, Colavecchia and Lukacs. Poor Man Blues has a great shuffle feel and gives Lueck a wide open stage to play his harmonica and he does a terrific job, followed by a soulful sax solo by Aeichele. Very cool. Another cool boogie track, Can't Take The Blues has an infectious groove with a strong bass line, super vocals, a solid sax solo by Aeichele and a tight mix. Very nice. Wrapping the release is Steaming Comrades Harp Boogie, a live track with a rhythmic Bo Diddley beat. Lueck leads the way on vocal and harp kind of reminding me of an old John Mayall performance and the band pumps it up all the way. Cool closer. 

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Adam Karch - Everything Can Change - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Everything Can Change, from Adam Karch and it's an interesting mix of acoustic and electric fused folk/blues music with solid vocals. Opening with It's Your Song, a contemporary, radio style track with a solid melody and clean acoustic guitar work, Adam Karch shows his stuff on vocal and guitar, backed by Richard Deschenes on bass and Marc-Andre Drouin on drums. JJ Cale's classic, After Midnight gets a substantial rework and I like it. Starting with acoustic slide and fine finger picking, Karch's stylistic vocal phrasing really changes the track and it's as cool as the original. Very nice. Porch Groove (Sunday Morning) is a real relaxing meandering melody on acoustic guitar. Very nice. Another nice cover is Bob Dylan's Don't Think Twice, It's Alright. Karch has one of those voices that is warm and refreshing and his picking style is clean and concise. Very nice. Wrapping the release is another Porch Groove (Saturday Evening) with a more contemporary finger picked melody. Karch is a talented musician and vocalist who has put together a real nice release. 

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Black Hen Music artist: Maya Rae - Can You See Me? - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the debut release, Can You See Me?, from Maya Rae who demonstrates strong vocal skills and a fine hand for melody to match her lyrical skills. Opening with title track, Can You See Me?, Maya Rae who has a clear, pop style voice, with traces of Joni, Fiona and other successful folk style vocalists backed by guitar whiz Steve Dawson, Jamie Dick on drums, Jon Estes on bass, Kai Welch on keys and uke, and backing vocals by Allison Russell and JT Nero. Very nice opener. With just a dash of country styling, The Sun Will Come Out Again is another strong composition with a solid melody, and includes vibes by Charlie McCoy, Kristin Weber on violin, and Larissa Maestro on cello. I really like the delicate vocal treatment and musical contrast by Rae on Picture Frame and the vocal harmony work on Storm Leaf really makes for a nice pair of tracks. Bluesy, Freedom Fighter, is one of my favorites on the release with Welch on Wurlitzer, Dawson on slide and adding Sam Howard on vocal. Moon Girl has one of those paces that just captivates you and the vocal backing by Russell and Nero beautifully compliment Rae's own lush lead. Wrapping the release is Goodnight River, a simple ballad with only the minimal of backing by Dawson, Dick, Howard and Welch. This is a very nice closer for a solid release. 

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Stony Plain Records artist: Rory Block - Prove It On Me - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Prove It On Me, by Rory Block and it's pretty tasty. Opening with Helen Humes' He May Be Your Man, Rory Block uses her laid back bluesy style with some of her best vocals in years, matched by her always concise guitar riffs. Excellent opener. Stuff Smith's If You're a Viper is a great tune, paying tribute to Rosetta Howard. Block's vocals are altered into a cool, more vintage feel and with light percussion and great slide, all played by Block. Very nice. Ma Rainey's Prove It On Me is the title track and shines brightly with full, thick vocals and sweet slide work. Blocks really hits her stride on this release, with a clean contemporary recording of excellent old classics. Memphis Minnie's In My Girlish Days is among my favorites on the release with rich vocal styling and Block's well known slide techniques, backed by her own angelic harmonies. Merline Johnson's Milk Man Blues (Yas Yas Girl) is my favorite track on the release with it's perfect poised pace, Block's extra work on vocal delivery which is extremely convincing for the time period and always excellent slide work. Wrapping the release is Elvie Thomas' Motherless Child, a strong closer with deep vocal character and clean slide soloing. This is a strong acoustic release. Check it out!  

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Stony Plain Records artist: Sass Jordan - Rebel Moon Blues - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rebel Moon Blues, from Sass Jordan and it's got a raw edge. Opening with a funky take on Sleepy John Estes' Leaving Trunk, Sass Jordan shows just how special her vocals can be with Steve Mariner on harp adding great punctuation. Backed by the Champagne Hookers, Chris Caddell on guitars, Jimmy Reid on guitars, Derrick Brady on bass and Cassius Pereira on drums, this is a great opener. Smokin. On Keb Mo's Am I Wrong, Jordan works it hard with Caddell on slide acoustic guitar, kick drums and basic handclaps percussion. Simple and solid. JB Hutto's Too Much Alcohol gets a strong remake with Caddell on slide dobro. Keeping the track in it's raw "acoustic" format and accentuating the raw marriage between Jordan's vocals and the sound of Caddell's resonator guitar makes for great blues. Wrapping the release is Gary Moore's blues ballad, Still Got The Blues. Jordan backs off of the throttle just a little and allows the natural smoothness of her vocals float on the back of Moore's melodic guitar lead, played here by Caddell. This is a cool release showing the strong vocal talents of Jordan.

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Wide Mouth Mason - I Wanna Go With You - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, I Wanna Go With You, from Wide Mouth Mason and it's got a cool, stripped down, earthy sound. Opening with Bodies In Motion, Saskatoon born Shaun Verreault on vocal and guitars and Safwan Javed on percussion and vocals establish a high bar with a fat guitar toned, blues rhythmed, track with a solid melody and super vocals. With phrasing that puts me in mind of prime Leon Russell, this is a super track. Quick paced, Some Kind of Requiem, is a snappy, contemporary blues number with fluid slide runs and strong vocals. Very nice. I really love the overdriven electric guitar sound that Verreault gets on Erase Any Trace. These guys have focused in on a really cool blend of blues, rock and gospel styling that really hits square. Very nice. On Only Child, Mason stretches further into the driving rock styling but preserving the raw blues edge grinds out s pure rocker. Excellent! Another style covered is southern blues style of Shorty Medlock on High Road. Guitar picking, over laid on slide work and a driving bass line gives this track particular traction. Listen closely on Modern Love, yes, the Daviid Bowie hit track gets a total rework and if you don't catch the words will likely slip right past you. It retains the original energy but totally reworking the track format, and with the addition of Shawn "The Harpoonist" Hall makes this redo is very successful.  Rag style track, Outsourced gives Verreault a great opportunity to show off his guitar work and the addition of Kelly "Mr Chill" Hoppe on harmonica and nicely blended vocals, a cool track. Wrapping the release is a really solid radio track, You Get Used To It with great vocal blending between Verreault and Javed. With it's contemporary rock styling and sound, this is the definite radio track on the release and a super closer. 

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