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harmonica underpinned by equally lazy brushwork and slippin’ slide guitar. Not surprisingly,
he moves onto the subject of milking cows with ‘Go Milk Your Own Cow’ the amusing
innuendos continue with the added bonus of a chicken scratching harmonica and fiddle duet
all within the style of an amusing New Orleans farmyard strut. On the unashamedly country
and western ‘Old Rodeo Dreams’, we are nostalgically transported to the old west with the aid
of wheezy warbling harmonica, richly laid back guitar and lonesome piano. The gently piano
rolling and wheezing harmonica led Rumba ‘Can We Break Up Again’ concerns all the witty
and amusing comments we could have/should have said before it all fell apart, is very mellow
indeed. ‘Chain Letter Blues’, is a cool, slow burning, blues that concerns the problems of
emails, confidence and superstition, the low level searing organ and wearily wearing
harmonica only adds to the woes.

Different and recommended!

Brian Harman.

Gary Cain—Next Stop—Independent

Guitarist, singer, and songwriter Gary, originally from Canada,
is very comfortable playing both blues and rock with a
penchant for funk. After marathon solo practice sessions in his
family’s basement as a teenager, he moved on to playing blues
clubs which then led to him playing in the house band six
nights a week, in one of the largest nightclubs in Dubai. This,

as you might guess led to burnout, but, he returned home and
gradually rediscovered his love of playing, not necessarily for
money but primarily the feelings of joy and expression it gave
to him. Now, this all original, solo album sees Gary ably take
not only Lead vocals and guitar but also, bass, percussion and drum programming duties with
John Lee on B3 organ featured on ‘A Short, Furious Goodbye’. The album was written and
recorded in Austin, Texas. Your starter of 10 is ‘Billionaires In Space’ a pointed attack at the
indifference of the super-rich, a chunky, foot stomping pounding percussion underpins a
driving, blues rock funking, breathless guitar. This relentless pace is continued with
‘Confusion’, a heads down guitar runner with serious echoes of Mr Hendrix. The strutting funk
fuelled rocker ‘Gatekeeper’ and ferociously scrunching, screaming guitar work of ‘Crazy’, are
scouring comments on the elites in all governments today. His ability to effortlessly and
engagingly shift styles only emphasises his evident skill as a guitarist, oh, and his vocals are
not bad either. The fast lane instrumental ‘Kitchen Sink’ is a country inspired mixture of
inviting Hoe-Down picking and heads down guitar boogie. The furiously paced funker ‘Ain’t Up
To Me’, is another very enjoyable and engaging toe tapper. Another instrumental ‘A Short,
Furious Goodbye’, starts out as a slow burning, picked blues but, the guitar glides and soars to
greater heights and fades away.

Happily Recommended!

Brian Harman.