#433 : Ben Rice & RB Stone - Out of the Box

2020 – Middle Mountain Music
Release Date : March 6, 2020

By Phillip Smith; Feb. 22, 2020


Out of the Box, a cigar box guitar project by Ben Rice and RB Stone caught my attention in a magnificent way.  Rice and Stone have written eleven original blues tracks which they perform using an assortment of cigar box guitars comprised of 6 and 4 string Washboards, Swampeast Cigar Box, and a Lobo Cigar Box.  Backing Rice and Stone on this self-produced project is drummer Dave Melyan, bassist Joseph Barton and Jimi Bott on tambourine.  Bott, the award-winning blues drummer who has played with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, and The Proven Ones, also recorded and mixed the record.

The guys bust out in full rockabilly style on “Hot Rod Mama”, both tearing it up on 6-string Washboards.  The slide sounds terrific, and their vocals are dynamic.  Melvan’s back-beat and Rice’s mesmerizing riff instills a relaxed North Mississippi vibe to “Easy Rollin’ Down the Road”.   Stone breaks out his harmonica on the delightfully cool retro track “Hoodoo Workin’ Overtime”.  There’s a bit of a Howlin’ Wolf essence about this one that I adore.  “Swamp East Boogie” puts a smile on my face with every listen as Stone lets loose on his SwampEast CBG.  The Southeast Missouri area they sing about is very familiar to me.   “Bad Blood on Mean Whiskey” has a menacing ambiance and a badass attitude that is irresistible.      

The grand finale of this splendid album is a song called “Lobo Jam”.  This four and a half minute instrumental jam consists of an edgy driving rhythm and lots of smoking slide guitar.  I absolutely love it.  This album is a must for blues and cigar box guitar fans.      

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For more information about these artists, visit their websites:  https://rbstone.com and https://www.benricelive.com/

R.B. Stone - Some Call it Freedom

2016 – Middle Mountain Music

By Phillip Smith; Mar 26, 2016

Veteran musician R.B. Stone brings a big ol’ plate of delicious downhome blues to the world via his new album and seventeenth project, Some Call it Freedom.  This eleven track album of all-originals is seriously great.  Stone takes on guitar, vocals and harmonica, while supported by Larry Van Loon on B3, B2 and piano, bassists Randy Coleman, Josh Fairman, and drummer Terrance Houston.    

I love the swampy slide guitar Stone plays throughout “Hill Country Stomp”, the first song out of the gate.  Howard kills it on drums, as he amps up this ramblin’ stomper.  Stone lays down more rippin’ guitar licks on title track “Some Call it Freedom”.  Stone’s fearless fuzzy licks are smoothly blended together with Loon’s brilliant piano boogie for “35 Miles to Mobile”, a definite stand-out track.  

Things get a little ominous and dark with “Another Thief”.  With Howard’s pseudo tribal Native American beat behind Stone’s wailing, both on guitar and vocally, this badass song rocks pretty damn hard.  “Nickajack”, although only two minutes long, keeps the energy flowing with plenty of swampy hill-country blues and fine picking.

My ears perk up even more when “Standin’ on Top of the World” kick in with harp playing that rivals that of John Popper.  This is a feel-good song for sure, and puts me in my happy spot when I hear it.

This album comes highly recommended to everyone who appreciates The Blues.