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Gráinne Duffy—Dirt Woman Blues—Blue Heart ASIN ‏:
‎B0BXF3K6BV

Grainne Duffy’s new album sees her heading off to California and
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teaming up with ex-Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford, who plays
alongside Gráinne’s guitarist husband Paul Sherry and also
Marc’s son Elijah (bass/keyboards). The album was produced
by Chris Goldsmith and also features JJ Johnson (drums) and
Sam Goldsmith, John Ginty and Peter Levin (keyboards) and has
nine original songs written by Grainne and Paul. ‘Well Well Well’
́
́
is a great start with its gritty slide guitar and Grainne’s engaging
vocals and the title track is another corker – a moody, restrained
track with Grainne’s vocals nicely distorted on the song’s chorus.
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‘What’s It Going to Be’ and ‘Running Back to Me’ are commercial rock blues that reminded me
of Fleetwood Mac (yes – they are that good) but ‘Rise Above’ is a real mash up of blues and
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Celtic roots, a really original song with Grainne’s lovely, easy voice out front. ‘Sweet Liberation’
is anthemic and reminded me of The Black Crowes with its chiming guitars, ‘Hold On to You’
is a dramatic ballad, ‘Yes I Am’ starts slow and speeds up with howling guitars and we check
out with ‘Killycrum’ a charming, melodic song built on acoustic guitar and piano.

I think that Grainne really benefits here from the American production and musicians but the
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real standouts here are her vocals – sexy and relaxed but with power and grit when needed –
and also her and Paul’s songs – a very accomplished piece of work.

Graham Harrison

JW-Jones—Everything Now—IDLA ASIN ‏: ‎B0BYLXNW2N

Award-winning Canadian blues singer/guitarist JW-Jones
recorded this his latest album in Austin, Texas with multi-
instrumentalist Gordie Johnson (Big Sugar) and also in Ottawa
with Eric Eggleston. There is also help from special guests The
Texas Horns, Jimmie Vaughan and Rob McNelley (guitars) and
Stanton Moore, Jason Corbiere and Aaron Sterling (drums). JW
wrote all the songs with fellow Canadian artist Dick Cooper and
Johnson, who also produced. We blast off with the title track
with some superb lead guitar from JW and Mr. Moore in the
engine room.

‘Take Your Time’ is a relaxed shuffle with JW sharing the guitar duties with Jimmie Vaughan
and Jason Corbiere in the traps, ‘To Tell the Truth I Lied’ is an atmospheric slow blues (complete
with strings) and on the catchy ‘My Luck’ Rob McNelley helps out on guitar. The Texas Horns

play on ‘When you Left’ a nice soul blues in the style of Robert Cray and on ‘Good to be True’
JW is backed up by Johnson and Big Sugar for a very funky track with more great sounding
guitar. JW has produced a fine album of modern-sounding blues here with interesting songs
and good playing, he may not have the most distinctive ‘blues voice’ but his guitar playing is
very strong.

Graham Harrison