Howler lays down a Southern Rock blues vamp as Stephen Foster chants out his complaints in I m Mad as Hell (And I m Not Going to Take It). As the verses do a hesitation jam, Foster s vocal cadence matches like another instrument in the mix. The song s rant is equal opportunity (Republicans and Democrats), and he touches on quite a few categories making it the kind of song that lets just about anyone blow off.
Elsewhere, Stephen Foster Howler lay down fairly routine country blues rock, although tracks like Wearin a Hole in the Blues swing along enjoyably.
Yet, Foster Howler s strength are in the blues vamp/chants I m Mad as Hell and the album closer Why Do They Go? Here Foster can take on the role of grumbling, disenchanted, ornery blues man, and Howler as a band can let that tension grow as the vamp plays on.
- Ben Squires
Reviewing Eddie Turner s debut solo release, Rise, from 2005, I quickly came up with the comparisons: Jimi Hendrix, Keb Mo , Lenny Kravitz, and Vernon Reid (Living Colour). However, now with the 2006 sophomore disc, The Turner Diaries, I m seeing all comparisons in a different light. Turner makes new music that s like the old blueprints for the music that came before him.
There s no way that Turner could ve inspired the sounds I m hearing, but he makes you believe that he s the one that launched those riffs.
The funk of the Spin Doctors was really just a pale imitation of Turner s new song, New Day. When the Doors covered Willie Dixon s Back Door Man, really they were trying to follow in Turner s future footsteps on Shake 4 Me.
On Jody, I can imagine Keb Mo , Robert Cray, and Motown all taking inspiration from Eddie Turner.
The disc kicks off with Dangerous, built on a dangerous guitar lick like in Classic Rock, but here you get the whole deal. With mic test intact ( Check one, two ) and some feedback, Cost of Freedom is like the blazing core to a Living Colour song.
I m a Man, I m a Man evokes that Country Blues on the Victrola that I hear referenced so many places today, such as Jars of Clay s Trouble Is (Who We Are Instead).
Spiritually, The Turner Diaries doesn t have as many easy hooks as Rise, but certainly, in the African rhythmic pulse of the title track, we re meeting Turner in conversation with his doubt and our own Believe us, deceive us. Turner is also know as Devilboy, and Jeff Jaisun (BluesToDo.
com) has said, If anybody ever went down to the Crossroads and let the Devil tune his guitar, it was probably Eddie Turner. The Turner Diaries challenges you to face head on the legend of blues and the devil, but even in these darker tunes which point towards the limited light of our sight ( Some say heaven is a far away land/I only know what I can see ), I still find truths that seek the light which sets you free. - BS
The Miller Brothers Band delivers up some good soul blues on Tales from Foundry Town.
There s a real blues feel to the songs Wolf at Your Door even has an Eddie Turner-like riff. However, with outstanding keys from Bob Ramsey, soulful backup singing from Gia Ciambotti and Sharon Celani, plus a Motown bass line from Tommy Miller and Mark Tomorsky. It s a bit like the Commitments tapping into soul, funk, blues, and Motown, although the Miller Brothers Band serve up all originals.
- BS
With Michelle Shocked soul, Amy Speace the Tearjerks lay down Songs for Bright Street, an American Folk album that lands near Shawn Colvin, Eliza Gilkyson, Catie Curtis, and Lucy Kaplansky, but could just as well be Country-influenced Rock or Blues Rock at times. Speace can speak like Ani Difranco, but she can also croon like Susan Tedeshci ( Not the Heartless Kind ). Lead guitarist/producer James Mastro works his magic like Bo Ramsey to Greg Brown.
Embraced by the grass-roots crowd, there s more here than just another Alison Krauss. Shed This Skin is like June Carter Cash with Maria McKee. - BS
Billy Coulter is still touring and playing in support of his 2003 self-titled release a CD worthy enough of a follow up for this D.
C. songwriter and band. The songs are Blues Rock layered on top of Country-influenced Rock and Folk-influenced American Rock.
Disconnected gives a blues ride to the sound of the BoDeans. Too Far is like a blues man meeting Adam Duritz for a ballad. A Gordon Lightfoot acoustic guitar blends the hues of Being Human.
The Blues Rock takes another step on Bad Day to Run Into You, channeling Boston s classic vamps.
The opening lyric of the AltCountry-tinged scorcher St. Kilda Beach captures the feeling I get from Coulter s music:
Coulter blends a sense of rock n roll history into his roots rock providing touchpoints for many musical travelers.
- BS
Well, she s climbing the stairway to heaven. At least, that s immediately what I started to sing when first hearing the open salvo on Love Tractor s Saturn Rings from Green Winter. However, Love Tractor takes Classic Rock as an idiom, spins it around cooking sauce, and emerges with Neo-Classicism.
Mike Richmond actually sings, Well, she s walking out on the Saturn rings. The song has the acoustic build up of Led Zeppelin s Stairway, but it also has sci-fi keyboards, 70 s funk rhythm, and a Jam Band breakdown.
This all shouldn t be a surprise for a band that came out of Athens , Georgia , in the 80 s playing a blend of prog rock which has been described as fusion.
Green Winter certain fuses those Classic elements that are recognizable from listening to hours of Classic Rock radio although usually not found in any one band.
For instance, because you re already in the Classic Rock mode, Billy Holmes flute on Wrong Turn immediately makes you think of Jethro Tull, but the jazzy turn on that flute echoes Van Morrison s Moondance album even more. Close harmonies vocals and sitar-like wash on Inventor of Worlds brings the Byrds to mine, but then the disco dance ball bridges disrupt you from getting lost in a hookah dream.
(Stepping back to Love Tractor s own era of the 80 s, this track also has strong resemblance to the Mighty Lemondrops).
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