David Blue's Blog (43)

If you’ve heard of Dave Arcari before then you’ll think you know what you’re in for. However, not everything is as it would appear. Known for his raucous, abrasive style and loved for it on the festival scene, Arcari has mellowed slightly in parts of this album. The Arcari of old is…

BBC Folk Award winners, While and Matthews, are widely respected musicians and songwriters and this, their…

Not Over Yet is the follow up to their 2011 debut South Of The City. The Blues are represented on the strong opener, Back Again, the contemporary Travelling Blues and the epic You Ain’t Coming Home. Straight out rockers such as Take The Town, You’d Better Run and The Working Man pepper the…

Carrie Rodriguez – Give Me All You Got (Ninth Street Opus).

Rodriguez’s sound is rooted in Americana (Country/Pop of Devil In Mind and Whiskey Runs Thicker Than Blood) and Jackson Browne and The Eagles influences abound (the Country ballads Sad Joy and Cut Me…

Lisa’s eighth album on Big Song showcases her diverse musical tastes. There’s Gospel with the triumphant eponymous title track. Country Blues are represented by Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me, which just falls short of David Johanssen’s version. You Got To Know How is a bar-room Blues…

Rose has built his fan-base over the years but this, his 12^th album, may well be the one to bring him widespread attention. A mix of classics like Honey Hush, If Loving You Is Wrong (I Don’t Want To Be Right) and Stormy Monday would seem commonplace. However, the treatment of…

Being the son of a Rock legend doesn’t guarantee you success but Devon Allman has enough talent to make it on his own. Fresh from his collaboration with Cyril Neville and others in Royal Southern Brotherhood, Allman releases his debut solo album for Ruf Records. With a crossover between Country (When I Left Home and Don’t Set Me Free), Soul (Into The Darkness) and Rock (Homesick, Strategy and Tom Petty’s Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around)Allman delivers an album that you can use…

Gritty Southern Stateside Blues your thing? You’re in for a treat.  Whether it’s Blues fuelled Rock such as Black Clouds and Gotta Be You or the upbeat R&B of JB Hutto’s Hipshake, it’s the power of Walker’s guitar that hits home. Girl You Bad and Mary & Me showcase his slide…

Welcome to the big time, Martin Harley! He mixes things up with the Reggae beat of Rum Shack and acoustic Folk of Cardboard King, the latter rivalling current overlords, Sheerin and Howard. However, it’s when he unleashes Ry Cooder influenced electric slide on Working For The Man,…

Former frontman of Lost City Soul, Turner sets out on his own with this 4 track EP. Opening with the Celtic inflected indie rock of Angel and the 80’s throwback Dance Until The Night Falls he gets the listener involved from the beginning. Paris is dance orientated and although there’s not…

 Finnish songstress Lyytinen’s latest album shows a more personal side and the bittersweet Joyful Misery is a fine example.  She goes through her emotions in a number of styles, highlighted on the funky Soul, slow Blues and Jazz of Hold On Together. Blues themes permeate the album with the eponymous title…

Dutch master Julian Sas’ latest album confirms his growth into a top Blues guitarist. Trademark bludgeoning Blues arrive in the shape of the opener, Life On The Line, the eponymous title track and Steve Marriott’s 30 Days In The Hole. Swamplands and Tear It Up are Boogies at either…

Otis Grand – Blues ’65 (MainGate Records).

Otis Grand is often listed in the Top 50 Blues guitarists ever and one listen to the opener, Pretend, makes you realise why. Otis’ killer guitar turns this classic into a masterpiece. There’s no lengthy solos; just slick,…

Final Approach To Home is Rosco Levee’s debut album and it showcases his diverse musical upbringing. Whether it is the swamp rock, CCR style of Goldrush and Seven Seas or the blues fuelled Southern rock of All May Change Tonight and Headlight Burn, Rosco delivers. However, the highlights are the…

The follow up to the acclaimed CrossCut debut, I’m Gonna Be Ready, Don’t Give Up On Me easily dispels the difficult second album syndrome. Filled with funky blues and soul such as Made For Me and the eponymous title track this album gets better with each listen. Josh is no mean guitar…

The Kennedys – Closer Than You Know (Kennedys Music).

Largely unknown in the UK, Maura and Pete Kennedy have been acclaimed in the US for two decades but this is their first UK release since 1996. Close harmonies bring comparisons…

Midwich Assembly – Bewilderland (Dead Fly Recordings).

Formed in 2010, this is Midwich Assembly’s debut album.  Their influences are said to be Mercury Rev, Daft Punk, Depeche Mode and The Blue Nile. However, songs such as Astronomer Royal,…

Danny Bryant is a guitar player and if you are in any doubt after the scintillating blues guitar on Tell Me then you may as well turn off the music now. Guitar comparisons to his contemporary, Joe Bonamassa, come to a head on the grinding blues rock of Heartbreaker and his voice echoes…

 www.grainneduffy.com

Test Of Time is Irish singer songwriter Grainne Duffy’s second album and showcases her roots in blues, soul and Celtic music. Going from the soft rock of Everyday and What More Can I Do to the gritty blues rock of the grinding Rockin’ Rollin’ Stone and the churning rocker Please Take Care, there is one constant; her husky vocal. This will bring…

Dundee 4 piece return with the follow up to their highly acclaimed 2009 debut, A Measure Of Wealth. Their sound has become more expansive and comparisons to many acts are there to hear on the sweeping vocals of Gimme Some Love (Fratellis & The View), the folksy rock of Holiday…