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This is a disparate collection of songs that despite the title doesn’t just include blues but also soul
songs like ‘Rainy Nights in Georgia’ and Aretha’s ‘Chain of Fools’, as well as rock songs like ‘Stuck
in the Middle with You’ and also Cream’s ‘Sunshine of Your Love’. Indeed ‘Key to the Highway’
itself has a radical reworking here, very jazzy with various keyboards as well as JJ’s harmonica
and Robinson’s wonderful voice. I thought that some of these songs worked well - ‘Chain of Fools’
with Harrison Kennedy out front was fine, as was ‘Rainy Night in Georgia’ with Moody’s rich
baritone and with JJ adding some plaintive harp and although I’m not personally too keen on
Steven Stills’ ‘Love the One You’re With’ this version is also very good.

However, I’m afraid that I didn’t think that either ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ or ‘Stuck in the Middle
with You’ worked here but the more bluesy ‘Takin’ It Back’ with Harrison Kennedy was again
fine. I also thought that both ‘What Does It Take (to Win Your Love) and John Prine’s ‘Angel from
Montgomery’ didn’t really work with these arrangements. So for me this was a curate’s egg of an
album, while everything is well-played and produced, I thought that some of the songs didn’t lend
themselves to these arrangements.
Graham Harrison

A J Fullerton—Closer—Color Red

Guitarist/vocalist A.J. Fullerton is from Colorado and this his third
album was recorded in Color Red Studios, Denver with Eddie
Roberts in the producer’s chair. Opener ‘Almost There’ is an
indicator of the rest of the album, this is blues-based music –
relaxed, poignant with melodic slide guitar and Jake Friel’s
wonderful blues harp, with the rhythm section being Alex
Goldberg (bass) and Forrest Raup (drums) and with Loren
Dorland on backing vocals. ‘Oh Frustration’, ‘Get By’ and ‘New
Stories’ all keep the same vibe with the limited instrumentation
but with catchy choruses and Loren’s backing vocals just adding
another level of interest.

‘Humility’ is sparser, more like a hill country blues with its hypnotic, insistent guitar which subtly
builds throughout and ‘Sorry You’re Blue’ ups the pace and intensity with crashing guitar power
chords, swelling organ and Friel’s harp weaving in and out of the melody. ‘Indecision’ starts with
stinging slide guitar and Friel’s harp is more distorted as he takes a solo in the middle and ‘Clear
Lines’ features more melodic slide guitar and with Loren’s haunting backing vocals. Finally, ‘Good
Times’ has more great guitar with a lovely thick tone – ditto Friel’s harp and the rhythm section
is there in the background driving everything along without overpowering it. I love the
combination of A.J.’s guitar and Jake Friel’s harp, which is obviously a very old combination within
blues but they manage to make it sound new. However, at just over 26 minutes this is a very
short album and I would have liked to have heard much more, perhaps with a few more
instruments to add variety.

Graham Harrison