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guitars on ‘Get Stoned’ depict a desire to appreciate the benefits reaped after a
days’ hard work. ‘Darkest Night’, is a pleasantly gentle and attractive acoustic

mellow ode of love, in a time of deep despair. There are most definitely, satisfying
hints of Black Sabbath on the enticingly, ringing and raging guitar monolith that is
‘The Great Beyond’. The gently slowburning ‘A Quitter Never Wins’, possesses a
lyrically weaving duo of searing organ and sensitive guitar work with Dudley’s

subtly endearing and pleading accompanying vocals.

Recommended!

Brian Harman.

Grainne Duffy—Dirt Woman Blues—Blue Heart
Records BHR 042

Born in Castleblayney, County Monaghan, in Ireland,
Grainne grew up within a family of seven and as they
didn’t have a television in the home, the family’s sole

source of musical entertainment was from a record
player that their mother bought for them. As a child,
Grainne sang in her local choir, also at that time she and

her sisters formed a family band, the inspiration sprang
from their love of music from such artists as; Aretha
Franklin, The Pretenders and The Rolling Stones. About this time Grainne became

aware of the music of Fleetwood Mac, especially of the blues playing of Peter
Green, whom she cites as one her main guitar influences.

Since her 2007 debut album ‘Out of the Dark’, she has been voted in the Blues

Matters Writers Poll “Best Female Vocalist” in the years 2014, 2015, and also “Best
Solo Artist” in 2015. This is Grainne’s fifth album, recorded at The Big Fish Studios
in Encinitas, California. Marc Ford (Black Crowes) and Chris Goldsmith produced

the album.

Joining Grainne; guitar and lead vocals, in the studio are; Marc Ford; guitars, Paul
Sherry (Grainne’s husband); guitars, Elijah Ford (Marc’s son); bass, piano and

Moog, JJ Johnson; drums, also John Ginty provides keyboards on ‘Sweet Liberation’.
Peter Levin provides additional keyboards on ‘Hold On To You’, while Sam Gold-
smith provides additional piano, percussion and vocals. The nine original numbers

here are written by Grainne and Paul.

The opener, ‘Well, Well, Well’, is her plan for the future and features atmospheric,

heavy rocking dual guitar work (hints of Free here) with tasteful slide, over which
Grainne’s delicately gritty, almost ephemeral vocals glide over the top. ‘What’s It
Going To Be’, is a lighter, soul/folksy, sixties-infused romantic number with a
cheerfully echoing ringing guitar. This sixties theme is continued on ‘Running Back