Page 44 - BiTS_12_DECEMBER_2021

Colin James—Open Road—Stony Plain ASIN : B09DMRGXPX

Colin’s last two all blues records — 2018’s ‘Miles to Go’ and 2016’s
‘Blue Highways’ have both been crackers proving that the
Canadian singer/guitarist is up there with the world’s best. This
new album which mixes blues with Americana was recorded
during Lockdown while his long-tine producer Dave Meszaros
was over in London so sessions were conducted in both
Vancouver and in the UK with the album being mixed at Abbey
Road. It contains both original songs co-written with Colin
Linden, Craig Northey and Tom Wilson as well as covers of songs
by Bob Dylan, Otis Rush, Albert King and Tony Joe White. As well
as Colin on vocals and guitar other musicians featured include
Chris Caddell (guitar), Simon Kendall and Jesse O’Brien (keyboards), Norm Fisher and Steve
Pelletier (bass), Geoff Hicks (drums), Jerry Cook and Steve Hilliam (saxes) and Steve Marriner
(harmonica).
Tony Joe White’s “As the Crow Flies” gets us off to a great bluesy start with its acoustic resonator
guitar soon giving way to distorted electric lead guitar, more biting lead guitar on the funky version
of Albert King’s ‘Can’t You See What You’re Doing To Me’ with the guitar interacting with punchy
horns. ‘That’s Why I’m Crying’ is a restrained slow blues with subtle guitar in the Robert Cray-
mould and the title track is a melodic country-sounding ballad with slide guitar and unexpected
interludes featuring wah-wah guitar! We up the pace for ‘Change It’ a blues shuffle then ‘Raging
River’ is an atmospheric country ballad and ‘Leave This House’ is a Chuck Berry-style rocker
written with Tom Wilson and built on rolling boogie piano. Otis Rush’s ‘It Takes Time’ is also up-
tempo but this time firmly in the blues groove with its stinging blues guitar and wailing harmonica
and ‘There’s a Fire’ is another biting blues but this time written by Colin and Colin Linden. Colin’s
version of Dylan’s ‘It Takes A Lot To Laugh, It Takes A Train To Cry’ is more muscular than the
original with slide guitar and also a sax solo and ‘Bad Boy’ is a nice trance blues in the manner of
John Lee Hooker. ‘Down On the Bottom’ is a dramatic rock ballad that reminded me of Tom Petty
and we finish with Otis Redding’s keening soul ballad ‘I Love You More Than Words Can Say’ with
its Hammond organ and Colin’s heartfelt vocals and guitar.

Although this isn’t the all blues of his last two records I found that the mixture of blues and
Americana added a pleasing variety to the album and even the actual blues tracks were all of
different styles demonstrating Colin’s versatility and mastery of the genre. This is an excellent
record with great singing, playing and production - despite the Lockdown conditions it was
produced under.
Graham Harrison

Ben Levin—Still Here—Vizztone Label ASIN : B09C7YKR33

Ben Levin is only 21 but he has certainly mastered the piano
stylings of such greats as Fats Domino and Pinetop Perkins and
since his last release 2020's 'Takeout or Delivery' his vocals have
also improved and are now as mature and assured as his

keyboard skills. On this release they don't bother with guests and
we just have the band of father Aron Levin (guitar), Chris
Douglass (bass) and Oscar Bernal (drums) with Ben keeping to
just piano rather than also playing organ, we have eight original
songs and four covers with the overall sound being a tribute to