Page 41 - BiTS_05_MAY_2022

much blues for the 21st. Century. Coupled with this Robin's guitar playing is a revelation and
the other musicians also do their part to make this a great-sounding record.

Graham Harrison

Jack Broadbent—Ride—Crows Feet Records ASIN :
B09J8FNLTQ

Jack Broadbent is from Lincolnshire although this album
recorded during lockdown has a real swampy sound that has

more in common with the Louisiana bayous than the
Lincolnshire wolds. The title track starts us off in this swampy
fashion, stripped down, just rhythm section — Jack's father
Mick (bass) and Mark Gibson (drums) — and Jack's guitar and
throaty vocals and the following 'I Love Your Rock ‘n’ Roll' is

even better, a catchy, melodic song (although I thought that
the tone of the slide guitar was a bit wimpy). 'New Orleans has
a more sophisticated sound — with faint unnerving backing
vocals — but without trying to emulate a Crescent City sound. 'Hard Livin'' is a nice slow, very
bluesy song and 'Midnight Radio' picks up the pace with a swinging, jazzy feel. 'Baby Blue' and
'Grace' are two moody, mellow songs but' Grace' was ruined for me with a below average
harmonica solo that detracts from the song rather than adding to it and the album closes with

'Who Are You' a gentle, haunting ballad that builds up in volume and intensity. I thought that
this album's greatest strength and also its weakness was its simplicity — I liked the basic
drums/bass/guitar backing but I felt that some of the songs needed a little something extra to
add variety and interest.

Graham Harrison

Angelique Francis—Long River—Kiran Francis

When an artist is described as singing "blues, soul, folk, gospel
and rock" you normally expect that there will be one blues
song on their album or a slight blues edge but Canadian multi-
instrumentalist Angelique Francis has a real blues feel
throughout her 'Long River' album — it even begins with a

restrained electric slow blues in 'Storms From My Eyes'.
Angelique plays guitars, upright and electric bass and
harmonica as well as being a strong and distinctive singer.
'Ashamed' is an acoustic-ish blues with slide guitar and harp,
'Snow Rage' is a funky blues and the seven-minute title track
is a melodic song built on acoustic guitar with fluttering trumpet arpeggios.

There is more trumpet on the humorous 'Who is Caroline?', whereas 'Right as Rain' is more
edgy, 'Out Your Mind' is down and dirty electric blues and 'I've Never' is a soulful ballad. As
well as the full length songs there are also three shorter "interludes" of around one minute
which are mainly vocal, almost field hollers, while 'You Must Be Crazy' is acoustic blues with
slide guitar. More slide guitar on 'Heaven Water' a bluesy gospel song, the folky 'My Love' is a
beautiful romantic ballad and she signs out with the joyous romp of 'Soul Train Line'. I was