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rather solemn B3 underpinning all. The morose slowburning ‘Sitting In The Driveway,’ has Paddy
pouring out his heart as his life slowly turns sour, the bleak drawling guitars eloquently display his
despair as a sombre percussion rounds off the misery. On the Memphis evoking ‘Hot Coffee And
Pain,’ we hear Tommy surrounded by a warming and welcoming horn section as he delivers a sorry
tale of the loss of his lover, his pain filled voice is punctuated with a sweetly delivered saxophone
solo. The duet with Tommy on ‘Baby Where You Been,’ features Teresa James on vocals and piano,
her stark vocals and ivory tinkling set the scene for this horn drenched ballad, a solemn guitar solo
entwines satisfyingly the sweet horns on this tale of absence and deceit. The punching horns on
‘Angel Of Mercy,’ lead this toe-tapper as the richly played guitar and sweetly rising saxophone and
B3 entice you and your limbs to groove along. The instrumental ‘The Big House,’ (where the Allman
Brothers Band and their extended families lived) is a rolling, ringing, swinging tribute to the
Allman Brothers band; the lyrical and enticing guitars are joined by an alternating
soothing/punching B3 and horns.

Greatly endorsed!

Brian Harman.

Kirsten Thien—Two Sides—Screen Door Records SDR0006

Kirsten’s original idea for this, her fifth album was to create a
collection of A and B sides (as in old fashioned 7 inch singles; the
vinyl version will be just that). The numbers here were recorded
over a number of years and in various locations. The project was
finally finished shortly before the pandemic overwhelmed the
world. The musicians featured throughout are; Erik Boyd, bass,
he also sits in the producer’s chair, with Arthur Neilson on guitar,
Tommy Mandel is on keyboards while drumming duties are
shared between Steve Holley and Alex Alexander. The infectious
styles of the eight numbers here vary as do their periods in time.
The first one out of the speakers is the infectious sliding bass and guitar of ‘Shoulda Been,’ the
hypnotically striding acoustic guitars and bass slide solo, act as the perfect foil to Kirsten’s fiery
vocals. Driving the whole proceedings is furiously heart pounding percussion. ‘Sweet Lost and
Found,’ is a sweetly engaging, mid seventies Californian acoustic country-blues tinged roller with a
rich and mellow guitar solo. Tarriona Tank Ball and Jelly Joseph add to the warmth with
memorably angelic backing vocals. ‘After I Left Home,’ is dedicated to Buddy Guy and based upon
his recording of ‘When I Left Home,’ a sweating, menacing, slowburning bass, combines with
darkly percussive pounding that leads the way for a singularly stark, rising guitar, as it does
Kirsten’s impassioned vocals soar with unreserved emotion. The hugely relaxed acoustic guitar
and Cuban drumbeat of ‘Say It Out Loud,’ gently entices your languid limbs into action and

Kirsten’s warm, relaxed vocals easily draw you in. ‘Better Or Your Gonna Get Burned,’ is a
splendid example of Delta Blues with Doug Macleod on acoustic and resonator guitars, creating a
haunting and inviting atmosphere, joining him is drummer Wes Little who delivers a splendid hill
country marching feel to the whole proceedings.

Greatly endorsed!

Brian Harman.