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I started a quest to find terrific blues music and incredible musicianship when I was just a little kid. I also have a tremendous appreciation of fine musical instruments and equipment. One of my greatest joys all of my life was sharing my finds with my friends. I'm now publishing my journey. I hope that you come along!


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Showing posts with label Kokako. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kokako. Show all posts

Friday, February 19, 2016

Kokako artist: Karen Lovely - Ten Miles of Bad Road - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Ten Miles of Bad Road, from Karen Lovely and I think it's her best yet! Opening with Low Road, a mix of blues, country,R&B and pop, is a great showcase of Lovely's voice. With Alan Mirikitani throwing down some sweet guitar riffs, Tony Braunagel on drums, James Hutchinson on bass and Jim Pugh on B3 are joined by Julie Delgado and Kenna Ramsey on backing vocals making a solid opener. Company Graveyard has a more driving rock beat along the lines of Radar Love but with a boogie twist and again featuring a hot guitar riffs from Mirikitani. A Better Place is really stripped down like a primitive blues with Johnny Lee Schell on guitar and bass. Very cool! Ignorance (It Ain't Bliss) is a solid pop rocker with a bluesier approach but similar approach to rock as China Girl with smooth organ work and a flashy guitar solo. Cross The Water is a really nice ballad with country influences. This is a track that could easily make cross radio appeal featuring solid keys by Pugh and backing vocals by Delgado and Ramsey. Title track, Ten Miles Of Bad Road, has a bright jazzy style with Joe Sublett on sax, Les Lovitt on trumpet and with Pugh on keys, Hutch on bass and Braunagel on drums, this track has a strong hook. Quiet ballad, I Want To Love You, is another nice showcase for Lovely vocal with only minimal backing from Pugh, Hutch and Braunagel and a melodic guitar solo from Schell. R&B track, You Stole My Heart, is smooth with Lovely in duet and an easy set instrumental backing. Always Love You is a seductively sweet ballad with Lovely's vocals carrying the track with only minimal keys and percussion. Very nice! Blues Valentine has a strong country rock feel with resonator reinforcement from Schell and a cool key solo from Pugh. Save Me blends rock, country, blues and R&B for a strong radio entry. With a cool guitar bridge from Mirikitani, this is another track that could get strong radio play. I'm Over Goodbye has a special feel with duet blending with Melodye Perry. A reinforcing melody line on B3 from Pugh and continued strong vocals from Lovely make this one of the hottest tracks on the release. Wrapping the release is Frank The Spank, a hot boogie rocker. Lovely really gets it hopping on this track and Kim Wilson, featured on harp hits the target. This is a great clean up track for a very solid radio oriented release.

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