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With this album Kim Simmonds is taking time out to assess and to look back as some of the song
titles suggest. Whilst Savoy Brown are not breaking new ground here there is still plenty of blues
rock to enjoy. Certainly one for Savoy Brown fans to add to their collection. Kim Simmonds’ vocals
are rather basic and the backing vocals are rather thin but the strengths of this album are in the

guitar work. As the final track, ‘Crying Guitar’ an instrumental, shows I was right about Kim
Simmonds all those years ago.

Ged Wilson

Charlie Bedford—Good To Go—Blue Heart Records

Charlie Bedford is a name I have not come across before. At just
nineteen years old, singer/guitarist Charlie from Melbourne

Australia has already started to make his mark having performed
at the International Blues Challenge Youth showcase. Impressive
stuff indeed but how does his new album, ‘Good to Go’ stack up?

Well it hits the groove straight off with the funky ‘Money Junkie’,
great song this. Drummer Tim Anderson really excels on the title

track ‘Good to Go’ with great support from David Carr on bass.
‘Windy Wednesday’ has a real laid back 70’s feel about it, nice and
chilled.

What really strikes me is the arrangement within these songs that are so well constructed. There is

a maturity to his guitar playing choosing the right tones and not overplaying, making all his licks
count. At times there are shades of the Spin Doctors and Robben Ford here which will lead to the
debate of how do you classify his genre. It is more contemporary in style for sure and has some up
to date lyric references such as the song ‘Updates’ so this album could well fall into the new
classification of ‘Indie Blues’ which is a genre I’m starting to hear a lot more about.

There are two instrumentals on the album, ‘Telephone’ a short reverb drenched guitar piece that I
didn’t really get and it didn’t seem to fit with the album whilst the other ‘Blues For John’ is a more
traditional style blues of stripped back guitar and harmonica. There is more harmonica from guest
Chris ‘Stibbo’ Hanger on the Mink DeVille cover ‘Steady Driver Man’ which rocks along nicely with a
Bo Diddley beat.

My favourite song on the album is ‘Get Rude’. It has a great groove, really punchy, that gets you
moving and your foot tapping. I really wanted this song to rock out longer with more guitar at the
end but alas as within keeping with the album it was just over three minutes, in fact it is interesting
to note that seven out of the twelve songs were under three minutes. This is an area I’m sure he
will develop as time goes on.

Charlie Bedford has a great voice, is a great composer and a real slick guitarist. With a maturity
beyond his years I suspect this guy has a great future in front of him. I recommend you check him
out.

Ged Wilson