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rock style. The tribute to pioneering Civil Rights activist Ida B Wells, ‘Weight Of The
World’ has a very soulful vocal and audience participation on backing vocals.
For the final two numbers, he reaches back to his 2013 recorded set, “The Reverend
Shawn Amos Tells It”. ‘Hoodoo Man Blues’ is another cover – of Junior Wells’ classic
– played well and received rapturously, whilst ‘Sometimes I Wonder’ is a soulful vocal
and guitar track, a lovely way to finish off a fine release.
Norman Darwen
Travellin’ Blue—Lay Down Knuckle Under—Naked
(Single)
(www.donor.com/naked)
This digital single announces a slight change in the
name of the Belgian band formerly known as The
Travellin’ Blue Kings, and this move also heralds both
some changes in personnel and serves as a precursor
for the band’s third album due next year, the follow-up
to 2022’s successful “Bending The Rules”. This set is
a catchy sounding blues-based number, with some
excellent, almost Claptonesque guitar work, presumably by the very experienced
Luke Alexander. It augurs well for the upcoming album.
Norman Darwen
Katie Knipp—Me—Independent
(www.katieknipp.com)
Singer/ songwriter Katie Knipp out of Concord,
California presents here ten original compositions,
plus shorter radio edits of three of these tracks. The
result is not your standard blues release.
The opening track, ‘Mud’, is a fine, big-sounding,
slightly theatrical number with some gritty sax playing
and based around a Ray Charles riff, and next up is the
heavy slide guitar driven blues-rocker (and rock it
certainly does) ‘Outlaw Doc’ – nice harp solo too. ‘Go’ also leans towards blues-rock
with both psychedelic touches and something of a soul touch to the vocals (lead and
backing), ‘The Devils Armchair’ also has a fierce blues-rock guitar break, and ‘Lava
Pot’ has some strong slide playing over a blues-backing.
Some tracks fall into a 70s rock style – try ‘Vampire’, the ballad ‘Time And Space’, or
the laid-back ‘Dirty Cables’. Some, like ‘The Devils Armchair’ with its absolutely fierce
guitar break, span both – or maybe it is better to say they avoid easy classification.
Sean Taylor—The End Of The Rainbow—Self Release Sean Taylor—The End Of The Rainbow—Self Release