2023 – Ferver Records
By Phillip Smith; Feb. 11, 2023
Release Date : Feb. 17, 2023
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com
I’m
very excited to hear new music from Iowa-based artist Craig Erickson. He always delivers the goods when it comes to
high-octane, guitar-fueled blues-rock. I
love his funky, cosmic and from-the-heart approach to songwriting. His latest album Modern Blues is a
twelve-track journey of finding balance amidst the challenges facing the world
today. As a proficient multi-instrumentalist,
Erickson takes on vocals, guitar, bass, and keyboards, with Jeff Sipe
(Col. Bruce Hampton, Leftover Salmon, Cedell Davis) on
drums.
When the world turns upside down, Erickson stares hate squarely in its eyes and unleashes a furious dose of guitar mastery on “Topsy Turvy”. This is the song that sets the stage for the remainder of the record. A buttery rhythm typesets the page on title track “Modern Blues”. With this song, Erickson addresses the unsettling issues which fill our in-boxes with crazy news on a daily basis. A blast of adrenalin surges through my bloodstream with each listen of “Stormchasin’”. Craig absolutely tears it up as he lets loose a barrage of smokin’ licks on this song. On “Narrow Way”, he breaks out the slide. It sounds absolutely wonderful. I dig the greasy funk of “Bring Love Back Again”. The Allman-esque southern rock of “Last Train to Nowhere” is at the top of my favorite songs. Extra points are awarded to the reference to Batman and the Joker. The Hendrix-influenced “Brokedown World” is a wonderfully funky track with a smorgasbord of tones. The emotion poured into masterpiece “Blues River” is thick and intoxicating. A feeling of peace and tranquility washes over me as the album concludes with a joined pair of tracks “Loves Gonna Win” and “In the End”. I really like that this is how he brings the record to its end.
The flow is seamless as each song spills into the next, making for a wonderful album-oriented listen. Craig Erickson has set the bar at a new height for himself with “Modern Blues”. This is a record one will want to listen to from beginning to end.
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For more information about Craig Erickson, visit his website at : https://www.craigericksonsskytrain.com
Check out other PhillyCheeze reviews for Craig Erickson at : https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=craig+erickson
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