#675 : Cryin' Out Loud - Play Loud & Smoke Often (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

 

2024 – Cryin’ Out Loud

By Phillip Smith; April 21, 2024

 

Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com

 

Play Loud & Smoke Often, the brand-new release from the Maine bluesters Cryin’ Out Loud is a smokin’ ten-track album of blues. It certainly grabbed my attention quickly and by surprise. The band, fronted by Brandon Stallard on lead vocals and guitar, is also comprised of Ben Chute on guitar and slide, Jim Fratini on bass, Erik Lawrence on saxophone, Mark “Bluesboy” Kanter on harmonica, Brooks Milgate on keys, Jeff Glidden on drums, and Amy Telllier on backing vocals.  With Grammy award winning guitarist/songwriter/producer Paul Nelson* at the helm as producer and additional guitarist, the record has a great sound.  

Cryin Out Loud ignites the fuse and lifts off with a burst of high-energy blues on “I Smoke Cigars and I Play the Blues”. Once I hear this song, I know I’m in good hands for a enjoyable listen. The electricity in the air remains strong as the life of a bluesman continues on in song with “I’m Gonna Drink My Way to Memphis”. Stallard’s whiskey-soaked vocals are perfectly suited for this ripping track where the band absolutely nails the performance. I love the Allman-esque jam on “Instead”. Nelson’s guitar performance is simply amazing.  “Tell Her” is sweetly steeped in a soul rock and masterfully takes an approach to the song which seemingly blends the sounds of Bob Seger with the Allman Brothers. As Stallard’s vocals kick in on “Moonshine Lover”, immediately following Lawrence’s big brassy blasts on sax, I’m taken back to the sounds of Bruce Springsteen with the E Street Band featuring Clarence Clemons. The big-band sound on this track surely makes for damn good time.

Crying Out Loud’s Play Loud & Smoke Often is loaded with stellar musicianship and brightly shines with glowing charisma. The album just gets better and better with every listen.

 

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* Paul Nelson passed away March 10, 2024 from a heart attack

 

For more information about Cryin’ Out Loud, visit their website at https://www.cryinoutloudmusic.com/

#633: Willie J Laws Jr. - Too Much Blues (PhillyCheezeBlues.Blogspot.com)

2023 – Pilot Light Records

By Phillip Smith; Sep. 6, 2023

Known as the “Last Prophet of the Funky Texas Blues”, Willie J Laws Jr., certainly lives up to his title in regards to his latest album Too Much Blues.  His blend of blues is enriched with a blast of funkdafied grooves, and I like it a lot.  The record, produced by Paul Nelson, features Laws on guitar and vocals, with Dave Johnson on bass, Brooks Milgate on keys/piano/organ/synth, and Justin Blackburn on drums/percussion.

Laws’ vocals ring out with smooth finesse as he breaks out his briefcase of soulful blues on “Better off Blue”.  “Stuck in Traffic” is a clever piece about the frustration many of us face each day.  I love the jazzy instrumental play between Laws on guitar and Milgate on keys.  Laws’ musical approach on this song reminds me of George Benson,  “Getcha’ Knee Off My Neck” invokes a classic George Clinton vibe to it.  With Erik Lawrence on sax, and Mark Berney on trumpet, Laws leads his ensemble to a large-scale P-Funk track.  His puts his own unique spin on his cover of Willie Dixon’s “I Want to be Loved” and it sounds great.  “Sorry Charlie” is a bodacious bowlful of real-deal blues featuring Jerry Portnoy on harp along with Paul Nelson on slide guitar.  The album closes with Laws’ velvety voice breaking out a stunning cover of The Isley Brothers 1973 hit song “Who’s That Lady?”. 

Too Much Blues has everything it needs to be nominated for Best Soul Blues album.  It really is a terrific recording. 

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

 

  

#516 : Bowlful of Blues Festival – Sep. 5, 2021

The Fred Maytag Bowl

Maytag Park

Newton, Iowa

 All Photos by Phillip Smith; Sep. 5, 2021

 

Sunshine and a toasty temperature of 85 degrees made for a pleasant day of relaxing and enjoying some blues music in Newton, Iowa.  Bowlful of Blues Festival, presented by the South Skunk Blues Society, is one of my favorites.  The lineup this year consisted of Kevin Burt & Big Medicine, Avey Grouws Band, Terry Quiett Band, Paul Nelson, and Anthony Gomes.  Between sets, music was performed by the James Longerbone Band.  Unfortunately, I missed out on Kevin Burt and Avey Grouws Band, as I arrived just in time to hear the last half of Terry Quiett’s impressive set.

Having reviewed Paul Nelson’s 2016 Badass Generation album, I was excited to see him perform.  He’s such a powerhouse on guitar.  On lead vocals and harp was Rico Amero whose energy runs high, and keeps the party going.  I can't wait to see them again.  That was a really damn good show.  The main attraction was headliner Anthony Gomes.  I first saw him open for BB King several years ago, and have been a fan ever since.   He’s got the voice, the mastery of guitar, and the ability to work a crowd.  It was fantastic!

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·         All photos by Phillip Smith

James Longerbone Band

Terry Quiett Band

 

Paul Nelson Band

Anthony Gomes

#374 : Paul Nelson - Over Under Through

2019 – Riverwide Records

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 10, 2019

Over Under Through the new album from Paul Nelson is a powerful one to say the least.  His songs, poignant and masterfully crafted, are delivered with finesse.  Drawing inspiration from artists like Amos Lee, Ray Lamontagne, and Lyle Lovett, Nelson carves out his own style, and leaves me wanting to hear more.   

Of the eleven tracks on the record, all are original with the exception of one.  That one exception is an amazing, retooled cover of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk the Line”.  He definitely made this one his own.   Nelson’s pulsing blues-laden spiritual, “Go Down Ezekiel” is terrific and swampy, with guitarist Kevin Barry (Rosanne Cash, Susan Tedeschi, Paula Cole) onboard.  The poetic dirge “Ghost in the Basement”, an absolute favorite, is beautifully written and sang with a heartfelt performance.  In “Silent Majority”, Nelson takes a Dylan-esque stance and boldly proclaims that silence strengthens authority, indifference paves the way, and ain’t nothing gonna ever change if we’re silent.  The song is loaded with a twangy goodness from Barry, and nicely accented with harmonizing backing vocals from Kristin Cifelli, Ellis Paul, and Nickie Fuller.    

Paul Nelson scores huge with this recording.  Terrific from beginning to end, Over Under Through is a captivating and rewarding listen.

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#327 : Tyler Morris Band - Next in Line

2018 – Vizztone

By Phillip Smith; March 31, 2018

Next in Line, the third album from Tyler Morris continues to break new ground for the nineteen year old guitar prodigy.  Chock-full of blues-soaked rocking originals, this record, produced by Grammy Award winner Paul Nelson (Johnny Winter), stands tall.  While Morris holds the fort down on guitar, the rest of the band is comprised of vocalist Morten Fredheim, bassist Scott Spray, drummer Tyger MacNeal and keyboardist Mike Dimeo.    

Morris lays down the blues in a tantalizing jam with the fabulous Uptown Horns in the instrumental “Choppin’”.   His performance in “Thunder” rides the rails of a funky dirty groove and is downright amazing.  The great Joe Louis Walker teams up with the band to belt out the classic SRV barnburner “Willie the Wimp”.  The swirling sounds of Dimeo on organ coupled with MacNeal’s tremendous beats and Spray’s standout bassline set a perfect stage for Morris’s searing licks.    

“Down On My Luck” is unbelievably good.  Morris fills this stunning song to the brim with an intoxicating blues riff which keeps the energy flowing while Fredheim’s powerful vocals evoke a spectacular fierceness. If this is any indication of what’s in store from the band in the future, I can’t wait to hear their next album already.

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Paul Nelson Band - Badass Generation

2016 –Walk the Dog Music / Friday Music Inc.

By Phillip Smith; July 29, 2017

One of the hottest albums I’ve heard this year is Badass Generation from The Paul Nelson Band.  Featuring a dozen wonderfully written and performed original tunes, the album is a surefire hit in my book.  Nelson, who was awarded a Grammy for performing on guitar and producing the legendary Johnny Winter’s 2014 Step Back album, fronts one tight as hell band.  This killer quartet consists of Nelson on guitar, singer Martin Fredheim, bassist Christopher Alexander, and drummer Chris Reddan.   

I love the thick Texas-style blues riff on “Down Home Boogie”.  The licks are searing and the slide guitar is sweet and buttery.  Fredheim’s vocals are amazingly powerful and confident.  “Keep it All Together” has an instant likeability and hooks me with its southern-blues-rock charm.  With only a few listens under my belt, “Please Come Home” has already clawed itself inside my head, waiting to be running on auto-play upon my awakening.  Nelson’s guitar performance is this ballad is spacy and cosmic.  It reminds me tremendously of Jerry Garcia from the Dead’s In the Dark era.  It’s a fabulous song indeed.

“Swamp Thing”, Nelson’s nitty gritty guilty-pleasure love song, is one big ball of fun.  With an infectious hook surrounded by the sounds of the night, the tone is perfectly set.  The grinding intro on “Trouble” is chockful of gusto.  Reddan’s full-on drum attack is terrific and Nelson’s solo on the bridge is downright awe-inspiring.  When the dual guitar rings out on “Take it Back”, I immediately think of one my favorite bands, Black Oak Arkansas. I have to turn the volume up a notch or two for this badass album closer.  It’s rock and roll at its best.

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