Release Date : June 6, 2025
When it comes to powerful voices, Alexis P. Suter sits at the top of the blues world today. I’ve been a big fan of her since reviewing Love the Way You Roll over eleven years ago. Her songs are eloquent and her band is tight as hell. Just Stay High, the latest from The Alexis P. Suter Band is a brilliant album from start to finish. With Suter, front-and-center on lead vocals, her band consists of Vicki Bell on vocals, Jimmy Bennett on guitar, Peter Bennett on bass, Ray Grappone on drums, and Daniel Weiss on keyboards. Additional musicians include Byron Isaacs on bass, Will Bryant on keyboards/Melodica, and Lee Falco on drums.
Suter opens this fourteen-track record with absolute authority as she belts out “God Gave Me the Blues”. It’s a true testament to the power of her voice. This ominous and enchanting track features an amazing display of slide guitar from Bennett which cuts right to the bone. An infectious rhythm laced with a load of psychedelic guitar rapidly draws me in for the riveting song “Breathe”. Wafting on top of a folky, free-spirited melody sits a wonderful gem of a love song called “My Only Need”. Suter has a gift in the way she sings from the heart. Her delivery of title-track “Just Stay High” is a beautiful song of encouragement for those enduring dreary times.
The band covers two wonderful songs originally recorded in 1970. The first takes on Ron Davies’ “It Ain’t Easy”. I love the Southern gospel-tinted backing vocals immersed in a Muscle Shoals-inspired sound. The second, “Song For You” is a honorable tribute to Leon Russell which was originally released on his first album. Weiss performs this stunning piano-centric song with sheer elegance.
I highly recommend The Alexis P. Suter Band’s Just Stay High. This is a flawless recording that everyone should give a listen to.
For more information about Alexis
P. Suter visit her website : https://alexispsuter.com/
Read my previous reviews for
Alexis P. Suter > https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/search?q=Alexis+P.+Suter+Band
Available on Bandcamp
