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REVIEWS

Christopher Wyze and The Tellers—Stuck In The Mud—Big
Radio Records BIGR-1000

Indiana born, Christopher wrote this, his debut album, in
Clarksdale and it was recorded at Muscle Shoals and Clarksdale.
The opener ‘Three Hours From Memphis’ is a laidback, piano
and fuzz guitar led, rolling blues. ‘Stuck In The Mud ‘ continues
this mood but is a tale of life after a flood. The tramping
percussion and resonating guitar urges you on.

On ‘Cotton Ain’t King’, the desolate harmonica, slowburning
bass drum and stinging guitar, informs us that the true King
now is Blues music. Re-telling stark, dark tales of joy,
desolation, poverty, persecution, racism, ruin, and death.

‘Soul On The Road’, concerns a weary traveller whose only friends are the miles he travels. The
single acoustic guitar, starkly emphasises an unwanted solitude.

The enticing piano and guitar, building ‘Back To Clarksdale’, describe the irresistible urge to
return. ‘Money Spent Blues’ is a sweet rolling and tumbling tale of wasted money, bad choices
and an unwavering belief in advertising.

‘Hard Work Don’t Pay’ continues the sweet slide driven, rolling and tumbling atmosphere. ‘Caution
To The Wind’ is a gently driving funker with burning fuzzy guitar and organ, warning you of the
perils of indecision.

‘Life Behind Bars’ is the age old true tale of drink, talent and a wasted life. While ‘Looking For My
Baby’ is a jaunty, piano and saxophone led honky tonk tale of searching for the right one.

‘Wake Up’ is an enticing, gospel/chanting call to embrace your civic duty. ‘Good Friend Gone’, is
a splendid Hill Country driven tale of good times and bad friends. ‘Someday’, is an enticing, slow,
brush work sweeping swing-ballad about indecision and putting it all off until tomorrow.

Recommended!

Brian Harman.

Doug Duffey And Badd—Ain’t Goin’ Back—Fort Sumner
Music LLC

Doug was born in Monroe, Louisiana in 1950 and by the age of
14 he was singing and playing piano professionally. He has been
inducted into The National Blues and Louisiana Halls of Fame,
and the Northeast Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.

Doug is on keyboards and vocals, Dan Sumner; guitars, electric
and acoustic bass, percussion, vocals, and trumpet, Adam
Ryland; drums and Ben Ford; bass, with Dave P. Moore;
harmonica, Jonathan Patterson; trombone and Bert Windham;
trumpet.

The opener, ‘Whirlpool’ is a mournful, brooding slowburner. The lonesome guitar and piano are
joined by a pleading, haunting harmonica. The maudlin tale of manipulation on the organ-building
‘You’ve Got What it Takes’, contains many echoes of sixties band The Doors.