Page 51 - BiTS_05_MAY_2023

Ledfoot & Ronni Le Tekrø—Limited Edition Lava Lamp—TBC
Records
(www.facebook.com/Ledfootofficial/)

This is an interesting nine track set of blues and Americana,
reuniting Florida-born but long-time Norway-based Ledfoot (aka
the vastly experienced Tim Scott McConnell) with Norwegian
guitar legend Ronni Le Tekrø. This is the follow-up release to the
well-received ‘A Death Divine’ from a couple of years ago.

After a couple of country-inflected Americana pieces—the opener
put me in mind of Bob Dylan, and let’s hear it too for HP
Gundersen’s very impressive steel guitar playing—‘The Ego In The Coffin’ bursts in as a slab of
gritty, boogying, loud and proud blues-rock. ‘You Should Know How Hard It Is’ is almost
country-soul, with an excellent vocal, and ‘Sailor’ has an early 60s feel – part-pop, part country,

part Americana. The seven minutes long title track is an epic number, a little akin to a bluesier
Pink Floyd, and ‘Sister’, the CD’s only non-original, a number from the film “The Color Purple”,
is a slow-ish, jazz-styled, bluesy number, whilst the closer reminds me of Iggy Pop (that’s
probably not a name you were expecting to see here!)

So, as you may have guessed, you do need a wider taste than just the blues to appreciate this.
But if that applies to you, then do check this out.

Norman Darwen

Deb Callahan—Backbone—Blue Pearl
(www.debcallahanband.com)

Singer Deb Callahan out of Philadelphia is on her sixth album
with this rather fine release. She is a strong blues and soul singer,
as the first two tracks show – the opener, ‘What I’m Workin’ With’
is a punchy introduction, a soulful piece with bluesy touches in
which Deb sets out just who she is and what you can expect. Next
up is the modern blues of ‘Crazy Ride’ which showcases her
credentials over a very impressive groove that allows the band
to really shine. Deb and the core band have been working
together for around sixteen years – they’re more than road-tested

and it definitely shows…
‘Big Girl Pants’ is, perhaps a little surprisingly, a tough blues, and ‘Rogue’ is a moody, accusatory
number, a little akin to Bobby Bland’s mid-70s output in sound. Then there is the relaxed, sexy,

confident shuffle of ‘A Few New Tricks’, a wonderful cover of Percy Mayfield’s ‘Danger Zone’
that captures the smooth blues sound to a “T” – the album’s only other cover is something of a
contrast, Sean Costello’s gritty ‘Anytime You Want’ – and ‘Still Fighting To Be Free’, a tough and
effective amalgam of country blues and blues-rock.

‘Don’t Tread On Me’ is a slow, funk-tinged groove (think early Bobby Rush maybe), whereas
‘Cleaning House’ has a more minimalist backing with some lovely slide guitar playing, and ‘I
Thought You Were My Girl’ takes us back to bitter-sweet soul, whilst ‘Just What The Doctor
Ordered’ is a funky blues with a hint maybe of Stevie Wonder!

So, a set that shows just what a talent Deb is. Check it out!

Norman Darwen