#592 > Damon Fowler & Friends - Live at the Palladium (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Landslide Records

By Phillip Smith; Jan. 14, 2023

Release Date : Jan 20, 2023

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

I been preaching the gospel of Damon Fowler for almost ten years.  In 2013, Fowler, J.P. Soars, and Victor Wainwright unleashed an outstanding record under the name of Southern Hospitality, called Easy Livin’.  The CD had landed in my mailbox for review and after giving it a listen, I was smitten with his work.  Fowler’s latest release features this master guitarist playing live at the Palladium alongside bassist Chuck Riley, drummer Justin Headley, and special guests Jason Ricci on harmonica, Eddie Wright on guitar, and Dan Signor on keys.  Live at the Palladium features eight original songs, and two bodacious covers.

Early in on this set, Fowler breaks out a handful of my favorites from his prior album Alafia Moon.  His fabulous cover of Guy Clark’s “The Guitar” puts a gigantic smile on my face.  Clark ranks up there among the best when it comes to songwriters, and I absolutely love this song which Fowler has breathed a new life into.  “I’ve Been Low” gets wonderfully intense as Fowler lets loose on his guitar.  His no-holds-barred approach never ceases to amaze me.  Jason Ricci steps in for a four-song run starting with “Somethings Change”.  It’s always a joy to hear him play harp.  The performance of Fowler and Ricci on “Somethings Change” is exquisite.  Ricci does what Ricci does best, pouring his heart and soul into the smoldering, slow blues of “Tax Man”.  Fowler sings and plays this one with fine precision.  Both Wright and Ricci join in on the closing song “Sugar Shack”.  This title-track off Fowler’s 2009 Blind Pig release clocks in at just under twelve minutes, and magnificently paves the way for a blues-soaked southern-rock jam.  It definitely makes for a grand finale.

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For more information about Damon Fowler, visit his website at :  https://www.damon-fowler.com/

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Damon Fowler - Sounds of Home

Blind Pig Records, 2014

By Phillip Smith; February 8, 2014

Damon Fowler’s latest solo album, Sounds of Home is a grab-bag of Americana at its best.  Soon after finishing the tour with the band, Southern Hospitality, which released one of my favorite albums last year, Easy Livin’, Fowler returned to the studio with bassist Chuck Riley and drummer James McKnight.  Tab Benoit not only produced, recorded and mixed this eleven track album, but he sits in on several songs as well, pitching in on vocals, acoustic guitar, and pedal steel. 

The album is a heavy mix of Country and Blues music. Fowler breaks out some really thick slide, on opening track “Thought I Had It All”.  This one gets the energy flowing, as Fowler makes his slide scream.  It almost borders on Southern Rock.   

Title track, “Sounds of Home” puts a smile on my face, as the guitar riffs bring to mind Steve Cropper, while the backing rhythm is very reminiscent of those cool early days of Stax Records. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux also makes a guest appearance here, pitching in on vocals and tambourine. 

Fowler tackles Elvis Costello’s “Allison” with a slightly different approach as he brings a little country twang to the vocals and melody, and an outstanding guitar solo on the bridge.  While on the subject of outstanding guitar and cover songs, Fowler brings it on again with a very swampy bluesy rendition of Johnny Winter’s “TV Mama”.  It’s so fun just to hear him play guitar, especially on songs like this.

Fowler digs deep and goes really ‘old school’, as he dusts off the classic spiritual, “I Shall Not Be Moved”, and plays it in a very traditional sense as he is joined by Benoit on acoustic guitar and harmonizing vocals.  Beautifully played, I thought this was a cool song to close the album with.    

Albums like “Sounds of Home” are so welcome to hear, as it allows the artist’s raw talent to shine through, and not be muddled by special effects and over-production.  This album is a “keeper”.