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Johanna is certainly no one-trick-pony, as she certainly shows over the course of the
album’s nine tracks.

Sometimes it is in the small details – there is the reggae feel in the rhythm guitar
and horns on the slow-ish, moody ‘For Far Too Long’, and listen to the rhythm guitar
on ‘Give Me More’, which sounds very much like vintage Zeppelin, though the guitar

solo is more modern and Johanna’s singing raw and sexy. ‘Wild Rose’ marks a
different approach, with plenty of bright brass playing behind Johanna’s soul
approach over a bouncing rhythm – and a vintage sounding guitar break.

‘Burn Me Again’ builds on a slow blues framework, and ‘Save Me’ shows that
influence from Etta on this strong, lilting southern soul-styled song, and the live
‘Chain Of Fools’ suggests another by now not totally unexpected influence – Aretha

Franklin, of course. The band picks up the soul groove perfectly, and the whole
performance is a real treat. Closing out is a version of rock ballad ‘I Want To Know

What Love Is’ (yes, that one!); and this cover reminded me that I’ve not yet
mentioned Tina Turner, who is another influence, I guess, judging from this. Great
stuff!

Norman Darwen

(www.johannared.com)

Farmhand—Long Hollow Blues—Independent

With the name and the pastoral-looking cover, you
might expect a gentle acoustic set - and boy, are you
wrong! Opener ‘I’m Not Complaining’ rides a big,
electric shuffle-boogie riff and has some tasty, nasty

guitar licks by Jamie Potterbaum (there are several lead
guitarists on this release).

Tom Hambridge will be the name that most people
recognise – he is here duetting with the singer, rhythm
guitarist and harp blower Richard Fleming, on their joint composition, the slower-

paced, West side Chicago-flavoured strut of ‘Fresh Out’, best-known by Christone
“Kingfish” Ingram (where he duetted with Buddy Guy). ‘I Still Have Dreams’ is
another strong blues, with fine guitar again from Potterbaum, and Michael Saint-

Leon takes out his slide to great effect on the suitably down-home mid-tempo stomp
‘Tractor Woman’; there’s a nice concise harp break too.

‘Worthy’ is the album’s only non-blues, a mellow southern rock-tinged outing, ‘Clean’
has hints of a Bo Diddley beat, ‘Didn’t Mean To Do It’ is a fine example of the

controlled energy pervading this album, and ‘Tried To Tell You’ is a skipping shuffle
with the slightest hint of a jazzy approach – the rhythm section of bassist Geoff
Newhall and drummer Jimi Fogelsong are spot-on. ‘That Hit A Nerve’ is a fine blues
with a memorable arrangement, and ‘Underground’ is a muscular tune with hints
of the psychedelic blues of the late 60s. ‘Can’t Live With Her’, the longest track at