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The swaying, late night lost love, ballad ‘The Idea Of You’, has a sympathetic piano underpinning

a forlorn, hopeless vocal. ‘That’s What I’m Talking About’, features a splendid blend of understated
guitar and resonating saxophone solo. ‘I Don't Need Another Reason’, is a warm horn, singalong
roller, about a satisfying tale of good love. ‘Flip Flop’, oozes laidback Caribbean and Reggae infused
late night emotions.

On the slowburning, ‘The Heart Wants What It Wants’ a desolate sultry, soul filled vocal hopes of
love. ‘Ain’t Nothing For Certain’, has a sweaty soul groove with a wailing harmonica giving a blues
infusion.

The enticingly horn drenched, slow grooving soul of ‘Just Don’t Think About It’ and ‘Brand New
Flame’, deal with anticipation, fear and loss. Whereas, ‘Second Chance’, is a powerful but, subtly
grooving horn driven tale of allowing people to make mistakes and still find love.

Recommended!

Brian Harman

Tom Hambridge—Blu Ja Vu—Quarto Valley Records QVR
0172

This is Tom’s follow-up to the album The NOLA Sessions, in
2018. Here, he enlists friends and stars for this 13 track
blockbuster. In the studio Tom handles drums, percussion,
vocals and production duties, with Rob McNelley and Bob Britt;

guitars, Tommy Macdonald; bass, Kevin McKendree and Jon
Coleman on keyboards.

The opener is ‘Ain’t It Just Like Love’, a rocking piano shuffle
with Buddy Guy on fiery guitar and vocals. ‘That’s My Home’, is
a hard driving, blues guitar rocker, delivered by Joe Bonamassa.
The rocking shuffle ‘Wear You Out’, concerns a 1954 Stratocaster, a Cadillac Eldorado and a
woman who wants more!

‘Blues Don’t Care’, has Chris “Kingfish” Ingram lending vocals and guitar on this pleasant shuffler.
‘Sick With Love’, is a straight down the line grinding rocker. ‘Automatic’ is a rolling, rocking ode
to a V-8 ’65 Ford Thunderbird. ‘Symptoms of Love’ is a stomping percussion driven roller. ‘Brother
John Boogie’ features a splendid harmonica performance from the late James Cotton. ‘Get Outta
Town’, is a very pleasant, piano driven rocking roller! ‘Smarter Than I Was’, is the tale of a woman
never, coming back, the powerful, driving guitar here is from Josh Smith, which entices you in.

The wailing and screaming guitars on the rocker, ‘Johnny Winter’ questions as to why he hasn’t
been inducted into The Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame.

‘Meet Me in Chicago’, is a fiery, fuzzy guitar led rocking ode to the “windy City”, courtesy of Rob
McNelley. Bringing the album to a close is ‘End of the Line’, which, is a slowburn shuffler, dedicated
to the last man to leave a musical evening.

Recommended!

Brian Harman