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Watermelon Slim - but not as good. We begin with a fairly average version of Muddy Waters' 'I
Can't be Satisfied' and I'm afraid that I also found the versions of 'Walking' Blues', 'Drifting
Blues' and 'Fishing' Blues’ very average. The one original song (written by Jonny and Steve
Rusin) - although very much in the country blues tradition - is probably the best track here
and I also liked 'Blow Wind Blow' and the Leo Kottke instrumental 'Sailor's Grave On The
Prairie' with some nice slide guitar from Jonny.

Graham Harrison

D. C. Carnes—Delta Crossroads: Vol II—Fishhead Records
ASIN: ‎B0B1VSP41M

Charles D. C. Carnes played second guitar in Robert Lockwood
Jr.'s All Stars band and this album is a tribute to Lockwood
and the many other guitarists who've influenced him over the
years including Robert Johnson, B.B. King, Freddie King and

Hound Dog Taylor. The album was recorded in just two days
with a small band consisting of Carnes (vocals, guitar), Justin
Gorski (piano), Bill Watson (bass) and Rod Reisman (drums).
We kick off with Lockwood's 'I Got to Find Me a Woman', both
D.C.'s vocals and guitar playing are quite understated, his
guitar tone is quite clean and his style is a pleasing mix of country and Chicago blues, with
pianist Gorski adding most of the finesse. At times the sound is quite jazzy but we also get a
nice rocky instrumental reading of Chuck Berry's 'Memphis', although Freddie King's
instrumental 'Hideaway' is a bit of a car crash and we finish with two versions of Johnny
Winter's instrumental 'Ice Cube'. You'd be hard pressed to argue that this is an essential
record buy but his guitar playing is light and fluid and with a certain charm and the ensemble
playing is good.

Graham Harrison

The Meltdown—It’s A Long Road—Hope Street Records
ASIN ‏ : ‎B0B52KNZDW

The Meltdown are a band from Melbourne, Australia although
you’d never guess that from listening to them – they sound as
though they are from Tennessee or Louisiana with their mix of
soul, blues and country. They are led by Simon Burke who
sings and plays keyboards while the rest of the band is Ryan

Monro (bass), Hugh Harvey (drums), Lachlan McLean (sax),
Eamon McNellis (trumpet) and Tom Martin (guitar).

‘Tell You Not to Worry’ and ‘River’ are two soulful openers,
Burke has a great voice and the band back him up superbly, while ‘Lie to Me’ is more bluesy
with both organ and piano as well as riffing brass and ‘Hold on to Hope’ has a 1960s feel.
Emma Donovan joins Burke on the title track as both exchange heartfelt vocals on this torch
song and Liz Stringer steps up to add her vocals on the country-flavoured ballad ‘Not the Only
Love’ complete with steel guitar (Shane Reilly). ‘Side by Side’ and ‘Into Temptation’ are two