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draw in grab your favourite tipple and immerse yourself in this album, you will not be disap-
pointed.
Ged Wilson
Oliver Darling—Lee’s Blues—Another Planet Music APM
R010)
(www.anotherplanetmusic.net)
Oliver Darling is a British singer and guitarist who has worked
with the likes of Mike Sanchez, Geraint Watkins, Imelda May and
other members of the UK blues scene, as well as artists from
outside blues confines. Although he does work as a solo artist, he
has been employed as guitarist for Imelda May since 2015.
This is his debut solo album, it opens with a fine guitar
instrumental (the title track), with shades of Big Bill Broonzy
(even more overt on ‘Glory Of Love’), which is a fine introduction to this nicely varied set. A raw
cover of Skip James’ eerie ‘Devil Got My Woman’ is next up (with fine blues harp by Rollo Markee),
and Robert Johnson is obviously another influence to judge from ‘Don’t Think That I’m Crazy
Anymore’. Other tracks conjure up Muddy Waters – the tough, band-accompanied ‘Got Love’ –
and Bo Diddley (‘Honey Bee’),
The second half of the album tends a little more towards Americana, but still remains very bluesy
– try ‘She’s My Baby’ for a rather fine example. There is even a Davy Graham styled closer, and
throughout the album, do listen to the vocals which are spot-on. Worth checking out.
Norman Darwen
Voodoo Ramble—Can’t Write a Pop Song (When You’ve Got
the Blues)—Thoroughbred Music
(www.voodooramble.com)
This is a varied album from this Croatian four-piece rock and
blues-rock band under the leadership of singer and guitarist Boris
Dugi-Novack a.k.a. Zamba. An all-original set, seven of the eleven
tracks feature English lyrics by promoter Pete Feenstra; there’s
also one instrumental and the remainder are also sung in English.
Yes, this is an eclectic album, ranging stylistically from ‘I Know
It’s You’ with its very strong echoes (no pun intended) of mid-70s
Pink Floyd to the Americana of ‘Down Home’. Then there is the Rolling Stones/ Southern rock
style of the opening number, ‘Born On The Road’, the catchy title track, some tough, riffing
blues-rock with both ‘Too Bad For Heaven, Too Good For Hell’ and ‘Man In Doubt’, the mellow-ish
instrumental of ‘Always On The Run’, some classic rock, and perhaps a little surprisingly, the
sublime, Curtis Mayfield & The Impressions styled, ‘Out Of This World’, beautifully sung by Ivana
Galic, with wonderful horns and an exemplary concise guitar solo.
A couple of radio edits finish off this entertaining set. And it would indeed be good to hear any
of these coming over the airwaves. We can live in hope!
Norman Darwen