2014 – Ruf Records
By Phillip Smith;
June 21, 2014
Thorbjørn
Risager was an unfamiliar name to me prior to hearing his spectacular
new album, Too Many Roads, recorded
with his band, the Black Tornado. But
I can tell you this much, I will remember his name from now on. This eighth release from Risager, is a
sheer delight and is sure to be a reckoning force on the blues scene this year. In a nutshell, it’s twelve well-crafted songs
delivered via a tight group of musicians operating together like a well-oiled
machine.
Risager
grabs the listener and pulls them in on the first few bars of the lead song, ‘If
You Wanna Leave”, with gritty guitar riffs, reminiscent of George Thorogood
, Eric Clapton-like vocals and soulful horn accompaniment.
Title track, “Too Many Roads”, follow. I
feel like I’ve been dropped on the corner of the Crossroads in Mississippi when
I hear this song about making the right choices. The way it oozes that endearing swampy sound…
it doesn’t get much better than this.
I love the way Risager’s strong gravelly vocals
rides atop the killer guitar riffs in “High Rollers”, all with the attitude and
energy of the Rolling Stones. This
track, about taking a chance in the game of love, makes me wants to break out the
air guitar and play along.
The beautifully remade “China Gate”, from the 1957
film, takes the listener to a quieter and more solitude spade. Pouring emotion into every note sung and
played, Risager and the Black Tornado make this exceptional song stand-out.
With a touring schedule that consists of 80 – 100 shows
a year, all that’s left to do is cross our fingers and wait for a U.S. leg of
the tour.
