2014 – Blind Pig Records
By Phillip Smith;
Oct 18, 2014
After listening to this
fascinating recording, which artfully blends country music and rockabilly with
the blues, it’s no surprise to discover Canadian bluesman JW-Jones recorded his eighth and most recent album, Belmont Boulevard, in Nashville,
Tennessee. Enlisting Grammy winner, Tom Hambridge to co-write and produce seems
to have paid off very well.
Jones gets the
adrenaline pumping while covering Bobby
Parker’s “Watch Your Step”. Putting
his own cool spin on the song, he cleverly throws a lot of ‘twang’ into it, giving
it a retro country sound. The intro
immediately made me think of Jerry Reed’s
“Amos Moses”. Another expertly performed
cover tackled by Jones is Buddy Guy’s “What’s Inside of You”. Some of his most serious and finest guitar playing
is exhibited on this track. This song is
pure blues. Jones’ guitar sounds so sweet as it co-mingles with the keyboards handled
by Reese Wymans.
“Don’t Be Ashamed”, interestingly
blends blues with surf rock. Haunting
guitar riffs, pulsating organ attacks, and a spectacular guitar solo, make this
a favorite. “Magic West Side Boogie” is phenomenal. With guitar playing reminiscent of Jim Heath of Reverend Horton Heat, Jones
delivers the goods, as does Jamie Holmes
who plays the hell out of the drums.
Jones sets a swampy
psychedelic mood with “Cocaine Boy”, which he understandably saves for last. This gonzo treat is delivered via tinny and echoey
vocals sung atop a slow-basted bass line. Guitar licks enter the song, like screams in a
haunted house, making this track quite a wild listen.
This album has a way of
captivating the listener, and not letting go.
