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Ralph Beeby & the Elephant Collective—Magnolia Smoke—
Independent
(www.ralphbeeby.com)

A new name to me, this British singer, songwriter and guitarist
works in a blues format, as the opening slide resonator guitar
instrumental amply demonstrates, and then he is into the rather

individual folk ballad ‘Never Know’, which kind of fits with
Ralph’s own definition of his music as “where blues gets weird”
– and it’s not just because Audrey Weatherstone’s cello playing
here reminds me of the theme from “Game Of Thrones”, or the
slightly spooky organ playing that introduces ‘Circus’.

Ralph himself plays all the instruments here apart from the aforementioned cello and Vikki
Ings’ violin on two tracks, and his vocals are rather wild, menacing and on the edge, kind of
Screamin’ Jay Hawkins singing half-remembered Appalachian murder ballads and disconcert-
ingly getting into the role, with Deep Purple’s Jon Lord also along for the ride sometimes – try
‘Heroes’, where the great sheets of electric guitar fit the track like a glove too. The Stranglers
might also be in there somewhere too, sitting on the edge of the bayou in the twilight with Tom
Waits and Howling Wolf.

Hopefully, you’re beginning to get the idea. This is a very individual take on the blues and the
theme of a down-at-heel touring carnival certainly suits the music. Weird, maybe, but certainly
interesting too.

Norman Darwen

The Blues Bones—Unchained—Naked/ Donor NP076
(www.thebluesbones.com)

This Belgian five piece keep things pretty much on the blues side
throughout, with a bunch of original blues items, each one differ-
ent from the others. Lend an ear to the throbbing, slightly blues-
rock tinged ‘Changes’, with organists Edwin Risbourg providing
a solid cushion alongside the subtle rhythm section of bassist
Geert Boeckx and drummer Jens Roelandt, or the funky blues of
‘Time To Learn’. Then there is the excellent shuffle of ‘The Road
Ahead’, and the excellent narrative of the moody ‘The Tale Of Big
Tim Brady’, with a noteworthy minor key arrangement.

‘Talking To The Lord’ is a meaty, driving number, that can be categorised (maybe) as “Christian
blues-rock”, with assertive vocals, a cool organ break and a lengthy slide guitar solo. There are
also a couple of nods to classic soul music, with the brooding opener, ‘Chain Gang’, an original
but showing a nod to … no, it’s actually Otis Redding – who did cut a version of Sam Cooke’s
classic. ‘Moving On’ is a lovely lilting soul item (nice backing vocals too). ‘I Cry’ comes in two
versions, with the closer being subtitled “(Symphonic)”, appropriately enough as it is string–
laden, which actually emphasises the strength of Nico De Cock’s passionate vocal and the
tenderness of Stef Paglia’s guitar playing.