Page 52 - BiTS_07_JULY_2024_Neat
P. 52
piano with more great slide guitar.
‘Last Night’ is a slow blues by Little Walter featuring Mr. LoBue on harp and the brass is back
for Bobby Charles’ rocking ‘Why People Like That’ as recorded by Muddy Waters (the brass is
Art Edmaiston (sax), Mark Franklin (trumpet)) with more excellent slide guitar from Mr.
Sharrard. ‘Mellow Down Easy’ is another Little Walter song (written by Willie Dixon) and taken
at a fast pace and we finish with a live recording of the band from the Boulder Theatre, Colorado
in 2022 doing a rousing version of Muddy’s signature song ‘Got My Mojo Working’. I was a blues
fan before I was a Little Feat fan and I was a fan of Scott Sharrard before he joined the band so
I should love this record but I’m afraid that although I think that there is some good playing
here – ‘You’ll Be Mine’ and ‘Why People Like That’ - some of it was also very routine. I thought
that Michael LoBue’s harmonica playing in particular was way below the standard of the rest
of the band and I also missed that quirky quality that was a feature of many of Little Feat’s own
songs.
Graham Harrison
Damon Fowle—Barnyard Smile—Landslide ASIN :
B0D2QX7FVT
This is Damon’s solo ninth album which he also produced
together with George Harris and as well as playing all the
guitars and doing the vocals he also plays bass on three tracks
(plus he also plays guitar in both Butch Truck's Band and
Dickey Bett’s Band). Other band members here are Dan
Signor, Rob Stoney (keyboards), Chuck Riley (bass) and Justin
Headley, Taylor Galbraith or Aaron Fowler (drums).
Opener ‘That Ain’t Love’ is a mid-tempo blues shuffle featuring
Damon’s slide guitar and also his throaty, soulful vocals while
‘These Games We Play’ is a melodic ballad with stabbing organ
and Memphis-style guitar runs and ‘My Brother My Friend’ is a heartfelt soul ballad. We pick
up pace with a rocking romp through Bo Diddley’s ‘Road Runner’ with Damon’s blistering slide
guitar reminding me of George Thorogood but by complete contrast ‘Grab My Hand’ is pure
country with Damon on acoustic guitars.
‘Outskirts of Town’ (not the BB King song but it does feature nice lead guitar) is another slinky
rocker while Damon returns to the acoustic slide for the melodic instrumental ‘Fruita’ where
he also plays bass and is supported by brother Aaron on drums. ‘Fast Driving Woman’ is a
restrained rocker and ‘Catch You Crying’ is a mid-tempo blues featuring Storey’s organ and
backing vocals and we finish with Jerry Reed’s country-inflected ‘Misery Loves Company’ with
Damon again on both acoustic lead and rhythm guitars. I’ve liked all of Damon’s previous albums
and his excellent slide playing but what impressed me most on this record were his soulful
vocals which have definitely improved over the years.
Graham Harrison