Page 42 - BiTS_08_AUGUST_2023

REVIEWS

Elli de Mon—Pagan Blues—Area Pirata Records

Elli de Mon is a one woman band from Vicenza in northeast Italy.
She has been playing the blues scene across Europe for the past
decade and “Pagan Blues” is her latest in a long list of album
releases.

The album opens with a lo fi bluesy riff on ‘The Fall’ and straight

away I get to like her dreamy almost haunting voice scape. There
is some heavy distorted slide guitar on ‘I Can See You’ whilst her
gentle voice shines against a rough blues vibe on ‘Desert Song’.
‘Catfish Blues’ is a familiar tune to most blues fans but Elli puts her twist on it to give it her own
unique take and perhaps something you might not expect.

A pulsing beat underpins ‘Ticking’ as the name might suggest whilst the title track ‘Pagan Blues’
is based around another of her lo fi bluesy riffs. ‘Sirens’ Call’ has a great eastern feel to it that
wraps you around the beat, really liked this one. The album closes with ‘Troubled’ and you can
hear that trouble in her voice.

This is not a blues album in the traditional sense but one that pushes the boundaries with her
obvious blues influences. There is something dark, trippy, haunting and at times almost primi-
tive and edgy about this album. Elli has an incredible voice that can stretch from Bessie Smith to
Kate Bush! This album at times has that C.C. Adcock vibe about it and though it has that garage
lo fi style, it’s still something blues fans could get into.

In my crazy mind I could see a great pairing for Elli with our very own Half Deaf Clatch, a

collaboration worth exploring? Now that would be something to behold!

Ged Wilson

Bob Bradshaw—The Art Of Feeling Blue—Fluke Records

Bob Bradshaw is originally from Ireland but is now based in
Boston USA and “The Art Of Feeling Blue” is his tenth album no
less.

The album opens with ‘Waiting’ which sets the scene of the Amer-
icana vibe underpinned with a driving bass line. ‘Everybody’s
Smalltime Now’ is a cool tune with a vocal that reminded me of
Chris Smither. The title track ‘The Art Of Feeling Blue’ is a self
deprecating tale laced with humour. ‘Hot In The Kitchen’ is a
boogie that has been derived from the phrase, “if you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen”,
whilst ‘I Keep It Hid’ is a tale of bottled up emotions.