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'Funk #49' is a funky run through the The James Gang’s song, while 'Never in My Life' is a take
on the Mountain song with a similar sound to Cream's 'Outside Woman Blues' - although
Mountain were very influenced by Cream - more really strong vocals from Bernie here. There's
a double tip of the hat to Hendrix with both the delicate 'Drifting' and then the more strident
fuzz-laden 'Spanish Castle Magic' and Rick Derringer's (Johnny Winter) 'Rock and Roll Hoochie
Koo' also perfectly captures the spirit of the original, ditto Rory Gallager's 'Same Old Story' and
'Too Rolling Stoned' a Robin Trower song with some searing wah-wah guitar. We bow out
with Cozy Powell's pop song 'Na Na Na' - the odd one out here as Cozy was a drummer rather
than a guitarist but a drummer who worked with Jeff Beck, Gary Moore, Brian May amongst
many others and also Bernie's Whitesnake - I guess Bernie just liked the song and the man.
This is another great album from Bernie with lots of wonderful and very varied guitar playing
and also excellent vocals - it perfectly demonstrates Bernie's roots in the blues and then also
taking in influences from his slightly older contemporaries.

Graham Harrison

Mudlow—Bad Turn—Juke Joint ASIN: B09PMH13V4

Mudlow are a Brighton-based band who have apparently been
together for 20 years, they are Tobias Tester (guitar, vocals),
Matt Latcham (drums) and Paul Pascoe (bass and production).
Opener 'Lower Than Mud' is a bluesy, funky tale of low-lifes -
“sitting in your underpants feeling blue” - with a sound that is
Creedence meets Tom Waits, the single 'Red Rock' carries on
in the same vein but 'One Bad Turn' is a poignant slow blues
ballad. With 'Further Down the Road' we are back to tales of
the dark side coupled with a relentless beat with the rhythm
section and Tester's guitar locking in together but 'Three
Crows Down The Road' is another about turn - a restrained, short semi-acoustic tale of rural
life.

'Clean Slate' and Dave Carter's 'Crocodile Man' are more bluesy Creedence-style mid-tempo
rock and roll that sound as though they should have emerged from the American Deep South
rather than the English South Coast. 'Last Rung Down to Hell' was the title of their 2017 album
(but the album didn't feature a track called that!) the track is very dramatic with Tester's
keening vocals and 'So Long Lee (Redux)' is an updated version of a song from their 'Welcome
to Mudlow County' album, again the rhythm section and the guitar mesh perfectly. The closing
track 'Sundown' is another change of pace, a moody acoustic song with hints of Fleetwood
Mac's 'Oh Well' acoustic sections - one of the best tracks here. This is a very original album
that has some obvious influences but from these they manage to create a sound and style that

is very much their own and which repays repeated listening.

Graham Harrison