#420 : The Paul DesLauriers Band - Bounce

2019 – Vizztone
By Phillip Smith; December 7, 2019

Bounce, the third and latest album from The Paul DesLauriers Band is filled to the brim with hot smoldering blues topped with DesLauriers’ soulful vocals.   It’s no wonder why this Montreal-based blues group has pulled down Entertainer of the Year twice at Canada’s Maple Blues Awards, and took second place at the 2016 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.  Guitarist/singer Paul DesLauriers leads this trio with Alec McElcheran on bass, and Sam Harrison on drums.  Bassist Greg Morency also appears on six of the thirteen tracks.    

I love the infectious guitar riff DesLauriers keeps churning on “Let Me Go Down in Flames”.  I’m easily drawn to the North Mississippi vibe emanating from it.  J.P. Soars notably appears on “Picked a Bad Day”, a killer song with a heavy-duty bass-line.  The dual guitars are searing.  PLB’s cover of Anthony ‘Duster’ Bennett’s “Jumpin’ at Shadows” is beautifully melodic.  They conjure up a big tasty helping of delta blues on “When the Darkness Comes” for another superb listen.  My favorite track on the album is “Loosy Goosy Jam #769”.  This cool-as-hell six and a half minute instrumental rides along an unstoppable driving rhythm, which DesLauriers slathers with his amazing guitar picking.  It’s absolutely fabulous.

Bounce is a must hear for blues fans.  DesLauriers and his band have set a new bar for themselves.  This really is a terrific listen.

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I reviewed PDB’s album, Relentless in 2016.  Click the following link to access it.    https://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/2016/07/the-paul-deslauriers-band-relentless.html


For more information about the artist, visit this website: https://www.pauldeslauriersband.com/

The Paul DesLauriers Band - Relentless

2016 – Big Toe Productions

By Phillip Smith; July 17, 2016

Relentless, the follow-up to the self-titled 2014 album from The Paul DesLauriers Band is a riveting electric blues album to say the least.  Singer/guitarist extraordinaire Paul DesLauriers takes the helm of this ship manned by a magnificent rhythm section, bassist Greg Morency and drummer Sam Harrison.

In “Stewtro Rock (Just Got Back)”, DesLauriers breaks loose with guitar in hand like a furious and caffeinated bat out of hell, soaring all the way until its mind-blowing climax.  The energy stays high in “I’m Your Man”.  Walking the narrow line between blues and rockabilly, DesLauriers doles out Memphis-style riffs while Morency keeps the rhythm going with a boogie-laced bassline. DesLauriers gets nice and swampy with “Still Under My Skin”, while hopelessly pining over lost love.  The jam on the bridge is absolutely amazing.  DesLauriers unleashes a wondrous wall of guitar sound while Harrison dishes out a stellar and thunderous performance on drums.  I also can’t help but gravitate towards the beautiful eight and a half minute power ballad “If I Still Had You”.  As the tension slowly builds, I crank the volume to fully embrace the lovely intense jam which follows.                 

More often than not, as the last song on the album finishes, instead of replacing the disc with another, I’ll just let it ride for another spin.  That must be why this album is so suitably named, Relentless.