2015 –Damn Good Tunes
By Phillip Smith; July 12, 2015
In 1975, BillyLee Janey recorded the critically-acclaimed psych-blues album
Truth and Janey’s No Rest For the
Wicked. Give his latest album, Got Them Iowa Blues a listen and one will find
out very fast, Janey is still
pushing the envelope of sound, producing some of the best electric guitar blues
around. Joining Janey in the making of this album is his son, Bryce Janey on bass guitar, and drummer Eric Douglas.
From the get-go on “Damn
Good” Janey breaks out his satchel
full of swagger, and delivers some of the most wickedly interesting guitar licks
I’ve heard. Listening to “Superstar”
sends chills down my spine. I don’t know
how he does it, but his guitar speaks a different language than most. It’s simply amazing to hear all these cools
sounds immersed in a big bowlful of blues.
I love the driving funky beat from guest drummer, John Wilson on “Mean Ole Twister”.
Janey channels the chaos and
furious force of an F5 tornado into this tune, and drops a subtle Wizard of Oz reference which makes me
smile.
Those who have ever lived in
Iowa will surely understand where Janey
is coming from as he sings about frigid winters, hail storms, and Midwest
tornados in the slow-simmered “Iowa Blues”.
The man knows how to play the blues, that’s for sure. I could listen this all day.
For more info about BillyLee Janey, vist his website: www.billyleejaney.com
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