Page 45 - BiTS_03_MARCH_2024

REVIEWS

Bernard Allison—Luther’s Blues—Ruf Records 1303 (double
album)—ASIN :B0CN9PPG3Q

Like his contemporary Shemekia Copeland, also the child of a
famous bluesman, Bernard Allison has always included at least
one song by his father Luther Allison on each of his albums.
However, this new 20-track double CD is a collection of all songs
by Allison Senior, hand-picked by Bernard, albeit done in his own
more rocky/funky style and re-mastered by Pauler Acoustics. The
first track ‘Hang On’ was included on Bernard’s first album 30
years ago, it’s a rocking tribute to Jimi Hendrix with distorted
guitar and soulful vocals but ‘Reaching Out’ is more bluesy and
laid-back and ‘Too Many Women’ is funky with riffing brass and wah-wah guitar. We also get
Luther’s more famous tracks like ‘Bad Love’ and ‘Life is a Bitch’ both done with brass and with
Bernard’s guitar high in the mix – classic blues updated for the 21st. century.

There are also two tracks from Bernard’s award-winning 2022 album ‘Highs and Lows’ namely
‘Now You Got It’ another funk fest – with riffing brass, slapped bass and unusually slide guitar –
and ‘I Gave It All’ a bluesy ballad with nice lead guitar. There is lots of variety here, with subtler,
gentler songs like ‘Serious’ and ‘Love is Free’, rockers such as ‘Help’ and ‘Change Your Way of
Living’ and even an acoustic number the beautiful closing track ‘Castle’. This is a fine showcase
for the songs of Luther Allison but it’s also a showcase for the talent of his son Bernard, who
demonstrates that he is a very good guitarist, singer and arranger of his father’s songs. His father
always encouraged him to find his own voice and go his own way and this album finds him doing
just that – celebrating his father’s legacy but in his own style that presents this legacy in a modern
setting.

Graham Harrison

Danielle Nicole—The Love You Bleed—Forty Below Records
ASIN :B0CLQR68DY

It’s been five years since former Trampled Under Foot
vocalist/bass player Danielle Nicole released her last album and
she co-produces this new one with Tony Braunagel (Taj Mahal,
Coco Montoya, Curtis Salgado etc) as well as writing or co-writing
11 of the 12 tracks. She’s backed by Brandon Miller (guitars),
Damon Parker (keyboards), Go-Go Ray (drums) and Steve Blacke
(violin/cello). Opener ‘Love on My Brain’ is a mid-tempo rocker
which highlights Danielle’s excellent voice – raw and emotional
but also controlled - as well as Miller’s keening lead guitar and
Ray’s pounding drums. ‘Make Love’ is even better again mid-tempo but with a funky laid-back
groove and catchy chorus and ‘Right by Your Side’ is a slow blues with choppy guitar and dramatic
organ. ‘Head Down Low’ and ‘Fireproof’ are two dramatic power ballads but Steve Goodman’s
‘A Lover is Forever’ drops the pace with Danielle singing over delicate acoustic guitar.

We get more drama with the restrained soul ballad ‘Say You’ll Stay’ but ‘Fool’s Gold’ is a loping,
funky mid-tempo song, ‘Walk On By’ is similar but with an injection of pace, thundering bass and
drums, plus Danielle’s double-tracked vocals. ‘Who He Thinks You Are’ is a sensitive slow blues