Monthly Archives: November 2016

Album Review: Adam Lee – Sincerely, Me

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Adam Lee

photo by Paul Andrews; photo courtesy of Adam Lee

Album Review of Adam Lee: Sincerely, Me

My first impression of Adam Lee is that of a rockabilly Chris Isaak with a little Billy Joe Armstrong-meets-Elvis Presley thrown in for good measure.

And that’s not a bad starting point. Adam’s voice is smooth yet has a rough edge that seems to suggest he’s always dangerously close to flying completely off the rails. He inhabits a raucous corner of the Americana genre. The former frontman of Kansas City’s Adam Lee & the Dead Horse Sound Company, Adam landed a 2015 Ameripolitan Award nomination in the Honky Tonk Group category. Sincerely, Me is his solo album debut.

Adam Lee - Sincerely, Me

image courtesy of Adam Lee

The song that most often pops into my head from this album is “What I Need,” a rattling, energetic, number replete with clever hooks that features ragtime-reminiscent piano… and whose closing lyrics were purloined for the album title.

Also particularly memorable is “Patrick” is an Irish-style folk song with the requisite odd storyline. “When She Danced,” on the other hand, is more like an Irish hymn, with the absolute flip side of what seems like perhaps the same vocal edge.

Adam’s Western-inspired “Misery” mixes a haunting twang with a slow build that never quite explodes, creating an enjoyably artistic tension.

Adam Lee

photo by Paul Andrews; photo courtesy of Adam Lee

Another favorite on this varied disc include the album-opener, not-as-hopeful-as-it-seems “Good Days,” which features the full emotional breadth of Adam’s rough voice and singing style, itself quite conspicuously unique; while the vocals are enunciated as if spoken, they’re simultaneously tunefully sung. And, as I mentioned earlier, smoothly rough and ragged. And the more piano-motored “Son of a Gun,” which uses horns and tempo changes to provide it with an oddly hypnotic energy.

Finally, worth noting, I do love some of the lyrics in “Stray Cat,” including gems like “I’ve found the less you say/The more interested they are/Yeah, a man who talks too much is a man who starves.”

In summary, this disc is a harshly pleasant, boisterous, rockabilly-infused alt-country disc with great depth and style. And Adam Lee provides the sort of memorable vocal that almost sounds as if he sings with an Elvis-inspired quivering lip. The dude’s got style.

Looking Ahead

Per the tour page on Adam’s website, he’ll be at the Bremen Cafe in Milwaukee, WI on Wednesday, November 16; at GLM Live in Lafayette, IN on Friday, November 18; and at the Six Strings Club in Bloomington, IL on Sunday, November 20th.

Album Review: Lee Delray – Brand New Man

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Lee Delray - Brand New Man

image courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Lee Delray: Brand New Man

NYC native Lee Delray wields a soulful voice and an even more soulful guitar approach. He unleashes his full blues rock onslaught on his latest effort, Brand New Man. He is also a very talented songwriter who is able to connect with audiences on a number of levels.

The album kicks off with a strong and spirited track, “Meet My Maker.” Delray lays down a steady I-IV-V pattern while stating his slide guitar prowess from the outset. This track establishes right away that this is, indeed, a young master at work. That is followed by a standard popularized by everyone from Albert King to Kenny Latimore called “I’ll Play the Blues for You.” This is smooth urban blues, with a jazzy feel and some nice conversational rap from the leader in the mid-section. Along these lines, Delray continues that rap/blues hybrid on “First-String Man.” His guitar establishes a Stevie Ray Vaughan-meets-Jimi Hendrix kind of vibe and pairs that with embellishments from the hip-hop team of Young Chizzy and Deejay NoGood. It’s an unlikely musical marriage, perhaps, but one that works and really pays off well.

Lee Delray

photo courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

Delray writes catchy hooks and really has a flair for melody and succinct thoughts and lyrics. This is most evident on the seemingly autobiographical “Blues Came Callin’.” He picks up the pace for the follow up “Love Line.” This is a funky number that features tasteful note choices delivered in a Carlos Santana/Coco Montoya manner. “Cookin’ in My Kitchen” is one of those typical love and suspicion kind of songs. It’s a shuffle, with a lot of attitude and spark. “Hollar” is just like the title sounds; blues with a raw exclamation point! It continues that rough and tumble shuffle style that really smokes. Delray unloads some wicked slide guitar work here, as well.

“Gotcha” follows and is pure Chicago-styled swing. Kudos go to the leader’s trusty rhythm section of bassist Scott Ward and drummer Ken Conklin, who really lay it down here. “Mine All Mine” is a very syncopated R&B-influenced track somewhat reminiscent of Robert Cray or Delbert McClinton; a strong funky underpinning that’s perfect for dancing or jamming. And that brings us to, not the least, but the last track, “Yesterday’s Tears.” This is a tune that could easily be a hit on country, pop or r&b charts. Mike “Sweetharp” Smith’s harmonica and Lenny Hayden’s acoustic guitar give this a very appealing back porch/Dobie Gray type feel.

Lee Delray is, simply, the complete package. He is extremely versatile, able to assess his audience and their needs. And he truly delivers, whether the song calls for rock, country, jazz, funk and, in the case of the aforementioned “First-String Man,” even hip-hop. He is an artist with a sense of adventure, yet he still has his finger on the pulse of appealing to his fan base. I’m sure he will generate a number of new fans too with his latest, Brand New Man.

Upcoming Live Gigs

Lee is scheduled to perform on December 9th at The Lakeside in Saylorsburg, PA; on January 28th at The Brown Pelican in New Bern, NC; on January 30th live on-air at the Raeford Morning Show in New Bern, NC; and at the All Day International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN (January 31st through February 4th). Check his website for additional live dates as they are added.

Album Review: Mick Kolassa – Taylor Made Blues

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Mick Kolassa

photo courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Mick Kolassa: Taylor Made Blues (Swing Suit Records)

Mick Kolassa is a bluesman for all seasons. First of all, he’s got a voice chock full of character, able to hit the high notes when required or talk in a low conversational manner. He’s also an insightful songwriter, with a wry wit and sense of adventure. Examples of this can be found throughout, from the laid back acoustic feel of “Baby Face Louise” and “Taylor Made Blues” to the lighthearted “I’m Getting Late” and the funky socio-political “In the Day.”

Mick Kolassa - Taylor Made Blues

image courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

Joining Kolassa on guitars, song arrangements and co-production is Jeff Jensen. He adds a certain spark to the proceedings and gives everything a rich sheen and ambiance. While this is primarily an original record, Kolassa has selected three choice covers that fit in very nicely with the overall program. Graham Nash’s “Prison Song,” Townes VanZandt’s “Lungs” and Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong’s “Can’t Get Next to You” are brilliant adaptations and each given a unique spin.

Perhaps one of the key things about Kolassa is his ability to straddle that line between adhering to his traditional Southern blues roots while dipping his toes in the pools of rock, New Orleans-style funk, gospel and folk, as well. And he does it all with authenticity and conviction that really draws the listener in.

Mick Kolassa

photo courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

In addition to Kolassa and Jensen, the album features contributions from a laundry list of first-call session players and vocalists spotlighted in the gracious and thoughtful track “Friends Like Mine.” Kolassa is a very special artist, indeed, and all proceeds from album sales go to The Blues Foundation’s HART Fund and Generation Blues programs.

Upcoming Live Gigs

Mick currently has four upcoming shows listed on his website. On Monday, November 14th, he’ll be at the Bluesberry Cafe in Clarksdale, Mississippi. On Sunday, November 20th and Sunday, December 4th, he’ll be at the Rum Boogie Cafe on Beale Street in Memphis. And on Friday, February 3rd, 2017, he’ll be at fuBAR, upstairs from Rum Boogie, in Memphis. Be sure to watch for additions to Mick’s schedule on the “events” page of his website.

 

Album Review: Reverend Freakchild – Illogical Optimism

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Reverend Freakchild

photo courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

by Eric Harabadian, Contributing Blogger

Album Review of Reverend Freakchild: Illogical Optimism (Treated and Released Records)

This is the sixth album for this cosmic musical preacher and, perhaps, his most ambitious. It’s a three-disc set that is a quirky cross-section of some of the best psychedelic blues rock and acoustic country/folk this side of Detroit’s Howling Diablos or classic Country Joe and The Fish.

Reverend Freakchild - Illogical Optimism

image courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

You might say this is kind of a concept package in that each disc seems to have a central focus to it. Disc One is entitled “Odds, Ends and Other Amazingness” and is probably a pretty comprehensive representation of what Reverend Freakchild is all about. He does everything from John Lennon’s “Imagine” and Bob Dylan’s “All Along The Watchtower” to full-on gospel, with “I Still Have Joy” and “Cryin’ Holy Unto the Lord.” There are also more traditional slide guitar anthems too like “Shark Boogie” and “Yer Blues.” But one would be advised to use that term “traditional” rather cautiously when referencing the good reverend, as nothing he does is by rote. He’s got a keen ear for nuance and humor and can change up a familiar song arrangement and give it a whole new character and spin.

Reverend Freakchild

photo courtesy of Frank Roszak Promotions

Disc Two gets a little weirder and basically features a dozen variations on his song “All I Got is Now.” Each track renames the song a little bit and, with that, each is a different version, from funk to punk to reggae to acoustic. There are even versions sung in German and French. Remember when various ‘60s bands like The Beatles would do alternate takes of their hits in different languages in addition to English? But I digress! This is an intriguing concept, but a tad self indulgent at the same time. But then, maybe that’s the point!

Disc Three presents something that kind of references Disc One. It is called “Kairos” and is the works of an artist — apparently one that Reverend Freakchild admires —named Ramblin’ Jennings. There are eight songs here that can best be described by what appears on the CD itself: “It’s gospel blues, with declamatory vocals, wailing blues harmonica and slide boogie guitar.” It appears that Freakchild is a bit of a talent scout here and presents to the world an artist very much in his own likeness.

To be fair, it’s really hard to put a finger on what Reverend Freakchild does. He can play a mean Dobro, electric and acoustic guitar for sure and has a soulful voice to back it up. And his original writing and selection of material is interesting and progressive in a curious sort of way. He certainly does not fit the mold of a “traditional” bluesman (there’s that word again!), but it’s obvious he wouldn’t have it any other way.