Coyote
Kings
Howl
2015 –Robin Barrett
By Phillip Smith; July 18, 2015
I always look forward to
hearing from Robin Barrett and the
Coyote Kings from Walla Walla, Washington.
Howl, the fourth installment
from this Pacific Northwest band, contains a cache of smokin’ electrified blues. Kicking off with title track, “Howl”. Barrett throws down the gauntlet,
blasting crafty riffs of swampy goodness.
This one digs in deep, and I like it. “Waiting to be Free”, is on top of my list of
favorites as well. This one slows it down a notch, and Barrett’s guitar wails so beautifully. Another track that puts a smile on my face is the
Chuck Berry influenced “Jackhammer Slow
Jammer”. It really gets the blood pumping. The most interesting and coolest track
though, is “Party”, wherein Barrett
blends funk with swamp blues. At times it reminds me of ZZ Top. Other tracks that surely deserve a mention are the eerie “Dark
Dark Night”, and “Crazy in the Head”, a track that takes me back to the
Eighties, listening to Timbuk 3’s “Future’s
So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades”.
JP
Blues
Live at Darwin’s
2015 –Midnight Circus
Records
By Phillip Smith; July 18, 2015
One listen to his latest
album, Live at Darwin’s is all it
takes to understand why John “JP Blues” Pagano
is rapidly rising up in the ranks of blues guitarists. This sizzling guitar virtuoso is joined by bassist
Tony Hossri and drummer Shiloh Bloodworth to make one killer
blues trio. I love the gritty and swampy
“Old Man Joe”. This quick paced track reminds
me so much of my favorite Southern Rock band, Black Oak Arkansas, down to the Jim Dandy-styled vocals. I had to stop and think a while the first
time I heard JP’s rendition of Jay Z’s
“99 Problems”. It was so interesting and
quite the unexpected treat to hear this rap song played so bluesy. JP pours his soul out in “Another Time,
Another Place”. From a calming and
beautiful beginning, the song builds traction, gaining speed until an explosive
battleground of pure guitar expressionism is reached. But wait, there’s more. The finale “Good Morning Little Schoolgirl”
dishes out nearly ten minutes of unadulterated blues and ferocious jams. JP’s
guitar playing on this track is simply amazing.
It doesn’t matter who moved your cheese, this is where it’s at.
