Page 53 - BiTS_02_FEBRUARY_2024_Neat

associated with famous people or significant events and it is good to note that Jimi

Hendrix gets a mention.

Black Pearl came together in lockdown. The band includes the soulful singing of

Detroit’s Marcus Malone, Finnish guitarist Muddy Manninen (long-time member of
Wishbone Ash), producer Toni Malm on keyboards and drums, and Pete himself
supplying the lyrics. The single combines soul and blues-rock with a modern blues

feel and Muddy’s playing is exemplary. Both of these releases are well worth a listen.

Norman Darwen

The Odd Cases—Bad Love—Frogs for Snakes
https://steventroch.wixsite.com/the-odd-cas

This Belgian blues duo came together over an evening in

the pub, and went on to record this, their debut album, in
a couple of days. The result is a warts and all set, with just
a couple of overdubs. It is also extremely likable and

listenable.

Not too much of a surprise, I guess. I’ve come across
harmonica player and singer Steven Troch before, and he

has always impressed me. If he in turn has been impressed with guitarist Bart Jult,
that’s good enough to pique my interest. The opener, ‘Gotta Have That Woman’
justifies my faith - a romping piece of early Chicago styled blues that sounds like it

should have been recorded around 1950 in the backroom of a junk shop on the Windy
City’s south side. The following track is probably from a few years later, and instead
laid down in Baton Rouge, maybe.

So, hopefully now you’re getting the idea. The title track has more of a modern sound,
and ‘Greasy Meat’ borrows from Blind Boy Fuller’s approach with Bull City Red, but
if you’re undecided about this release, try to get to hear the cover of Robert Johnson’s

‘Ramblin’ On My Mind’, most definitely a Chicago transplant in this version.

Norman Darwen

Jack J Hutchinson—Battles—Independent
(www.jackjhutchinsonmusic.com)

London-based blues-rocker Jack burst onto the UK scene

with 2022’s acclaimed “The Hammer Falls” and on this
follow-up album, he certainly takes no prisoners. There
are huge-sounding, crunching riffs and fierce guitar breaks
(though often tightly-controlled timewise), with Jack’s

declamatory vocals equally impressive.