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of the Covid lockdown. Other sessions took place in Brooklyn, Nevada, and at the famed Royal
Studios in Memphis. Vaneese provides lead vocals, piano and electric keyboards with Wayne

supplying guitar, bass and drums on most of the numbers. Various guests contributed
including Al Orlo and Scott Sharrard guitars; Marc Franklin, trumpet, Kirk Smothers; baritone
saxophone and Lannie MacMillan; tenor saxophone, to name but a few.

The opener is ‘Raise The Alarm’, which brings a sweeping Stax like horn section to a soul filled
groover, calling all to be aware of the current levels of social injustice. Vaneese’s smooth but

commandingly strong voice pleasantly washes over you. The mellow ‘Same Blood, Same Bone’,
is a heartfelt and emotional hymn to the place and people of her birth and the music created
there. The almost, slow burning ‘Time To Go Home’, features an affecting melancholy lonely
mixture of mandolin and accordion, underpinning a maudlin, pleading vocal from Vaneese.
‘When I’ve Had A Few’, is the classic melancholy tale of alcohol induced confessions to an
uninterested barman, the splendidly morose steel guitar and piano greatly emphasises the
sadness in Vaneese’s vocal.

‘Bad Man’, is a highly enjoyable grooving little harmonica and guitar picking stomper where
the lady tells her former amour exactly where he can go! ‘Blue’, is a very mellow, sorrow filled
Latin tinged acoustic tale of a lost love. ‘Til I See You Again’, is a grooving slow burner filled
with hope and optimism. The warming fuzz guitar and mellow surging horns gently wrap
themselves around Vaneese’s enticing vocals. ‘Fight The Good Fight’, has a relaxed back porch

feel with Paul Guzzone’s winsome acoustic guitar picking paired with a warming, homey violin
from Katie Jacoby. On ‘Lost In The Wilderness’, Vaneese transports us back to church with an
emotion laden vocal, piano and guitar, asking why life for some seems never to have been
improved.

You should be in no doubt, that Vaneese is most definitely a natural and wonderful
torchbearer for the music of Memphis.

Definitely recommended!

Brian Harman.

MaloneSibun—Ashes to Dust—Redline Records

Marcus Malone and Innes Sibun got together two years ago
and their first effort, the album “Come Together” was well
received. Caught, as the vast majority of musicians were , by
the pandemic and with the need to produce a pot-boiler, they
have actually exceed themselves with this EP. This effort is
much more than a pot-boiler, it is more like a commercial for
the next full album—four tracks of vibrant, enthusiastic music,

leaving you, far too soon, wanting more.

Here are four tracks of outstanding playing and singing:
’Making It’ comes with some soul laden vocals and some seriously good pedal and effects work