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REVIEWS

Brother John—Johnny Never & John Colgan-Davis—
Black Crow—Independent

Johnny Never; guitars and vocals, is a highly regarded
finger-style blues guitarist, singer and songwriter, who

has studied and performed Delta and Piedmont style

blues for decades. John Colgan-Davis; harmonica,
started playing the harmonica in local blues and folk
clubs back in the late 1960s while he was still a high

school student.

The opener, ‘Bread and Salt’, is a splendid hand clapping gospel song on emotional

starvation, with fine resonating guitar and soft weaving harmonica. ‘New Sovereigns

Blues’ is a tribute to Robert Johnson and Big Bill Broonzy, concerning the trials and
tribulations of life today.

‘Svelte Man Blues’ brings a jolly resonator blues featuring a warming harmonica
and delightful foot stomping. ‘Black Crow’, is a lament for a deeply cherished loved
one but, is strangely joyful and comforting. Charley Patton’s ‘Dirt Road Blues’

features a mournful, mellow guitar and haunting, melancholy harmonica.

In ‘Wandering Eye Blues’, the almost lazy, lustrous guitar and wistful harmonica,

tell of straying, while supposedly in love. By contrast, in ‘No Place Like Home’, a

bopping resonator and lively harmonica, tell of the joys of life when in love.

‘That Thing Your Dad Did Last Night’, a slow, wayward resonator and wistful

harmonica describes how easily men are ‘led by their nose’ and by hope.

‘Old Man Mose’, a wistful harmonica and gentle blues guitar describe a tale of a

disposable underclass, while ‘Sexy Baby Blues’ is a lazy, jazzy tale of the trials and
tribulations of having a luscious and sensuous girlfriend.

‘Whiskey Glass’, and ‘Five Miles’, are moribund harmonica and guitar tales of life’s
increasing obstacles, regrets, and the deaths of loved ones.

‘Cook It to the Bone’, is a grooving harmonica led blues about a rather groovy lady
in Johnny’s past.

Highly Recommended!

Brian Harman