Page 49 - BiTS_04_APRIL_2025

produced this album so maybe I was expecting something special but I felt the

production was a bit old style and somewhat flat rather than having a contempo-
rary feel to it. Maybe that was the intention but it doesn’t quite work for me, see
what you think.

Ged Wilson
Andrew Duncanson—California Trap
Featuring Michael Peloquin—Run It Back
Records RIB RECORDS 25001

Champaign-Urbana native Andrew Duncanson,
was with his band Kilborn Alley Blues Band, for
almost twenty years and has worked with Dig3 and
the Mary Jo Curry band. Now, for this, his soul
drenched solo album, he has teamed-up with
Michael Peloquin; harmonica and Kid Andersen;
guitar, at Greaseland Studios.

The optimism filled opener, ‘Relearning To Climb’,
possesses the rolling, satisfying echoes the sweet
swaying, horn flights of Stax and Malaco.

‘Naw, Naw, Naw’, this horn filled, sorrowful tale explains his unfaithfulness and lies
to a past lover and the consequences.

The toe-tapping, bouncing shuffle that is ‘Hold Me Back’, possess a menacingly,
enticing driving harmonica and bristling vocal, which relays a tale of personal
rancour.

‘California Trap’, is a slowburner with crisp, rolling piano, smarting guitar, very
mellow saxophone. AD’s vocals echo Big Joe Turner. While ‘Town Saint’, is quite
simply, a bass driven funker, with a splendid trumpet solo and fiery guitar flourishes.

‘Outer Space’, is a harmonica, guitar and saxophone driven fantasy to leave one’s
troubles behind. ‘What Kind Of Man’, is a horn driven soulful ballad, explaining what
one should be, not what one is.

The Woody Guthrie’s ‘This Land Is Your Land’ is inspired by the late Sharon Jones
soul fuelled version. ‘Feelin’ Better Now’, is a delightful piano and lusty harmonica
driven low-down tramping R&B mover.

‘Next Life’, is a drawling slowburner, with pulsing organ, mellow sighing horns and
raw guitar. The jaunty ‘More Lows Than Highs’, describes life with honking horns
and a sparkling guitar.

The country inflected ‘It’s A Pleasure’, celebrates friendship as a sweet harmonica
delights throughout.

‘Better Off Now’, is a horn laden, swaying ballad celebrating the joys of love and a
future life.

Recommended!

Brian Harman.