Southpaw Steel ‘n’ Twang - Stat(u)e of Mind

2015 – Bafe’s Factory

By Phillip Smith; Jan 23, 2016

Stat(u)e of Mind , Southpaw Steel ‘n’ Twang’s fourteen track follow-up to their Hales Pleasure Railway album, sports even more innovative instrumentals than its predecessor.  I love the way their music takes a step off the beaten path to dissipate the boundary between Bluegrass and Jazz.  This innovative trio from Helsinki, Finland consists of guitarist Ville “Lefty” Leppänen (Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip), drummer Tero Mikkonen, and bassist JP Mönkkönen.  In September 2015, the band recorded Stat(u)e of Mind at Firebrand Recording Studio in St. Louis, Missouri, after accepting an invitation to perform at the 2015 International Steel Guitar Convention.

Mikkonen beautifully performs the opening song, “Gateway”, on ukulele.  Clocking in at just a smidge over a minute in length, this Hawaiian flavored appetizer makes for a lovely intro for the rest of the album.  Leppänen breaks out some fantastic swampy guitar licks on “Aloha Garage”.  This is one of my absolute favorites.  “Route 68” has a cool jazzy character.  Mikkonen and Mönkkönen keep the rhythm hip as Leppänen lets loose with an outstanding avant-garde performance.  Leppänen sets a melancholy mood for the lovely “Almost Too Beautiful” before taking me by surprise with “Duel”.  Without words, this instrumental is still able to tell a story.  The listener is marched in to this Latin infused masterpiece with a flurry of spaghetti-western/surf guitar.  The song takes an unexpected and marvelous turn the moment the horns pop.  This is such a killer track.  I like to think of the closing song, “Sergio” as a fantastic tribute and homage to legendary film director Sergio Leone and the man who scored the lion’s share of his films, composer Ennio Morricone.  The Morricone influence certainly shows.

It's really fresh to hear a band like Southpaw Steel ‘n’ Twang share their unique brand of music and captivating compositions.  Stat(u)e of Mind is abundantly full of character and a delightful listen.   

John McKinley - Window on the World

2015 – John McKinley

By Phillip Smith; Jan 2, 2016

 

There is some quite amazing music coming from New Mexico guitarist John McKinley on his debut release, Window on the World.  This twelve track album consists of all original songs laced with Texas blues, Prog-Rock, Jazz, and Latin music.  Joining McKinley is his son, bassist Darius McKinley, and drummer Ben Rollo.   

“Dirty Nails” rocks the Blues with down and dirty, smoking hot guitar licks. This instrumental, clocking in at less than two and a half minutes packs a hell of a lot of punch.  I’d love to hear an extended version of it.  McKinley kills it on the psychedelic power-punch “Stratitude”.  This is an absolute mind-melting instrumental with a bass-line reminiscent of the one on Frank Zappa’s “Muffin Man”.    I absolutely love the spirit-lifting Latin sounds of “Cuando Yo Me Voy (I’m Outta Here)”.  Rollo’s intoxicating beats and Darius’ funky rhythm on this stellar track immediately puts me in a dancing mood.  McKinley, again shows how deep his talents run on beautifully played “Ontarion Song” which transcends from New Age to swampy blues in an unexpected blink of an eye.  This one is perfectly played.

The music on Window on the World is exceptional and most interesting, and I am definitely going to keep my eyes and ears open for new offerings from John McKinley's band. 

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For more information on the John McKinley band, visit his website at http://johnmckinleyband.com/

Martin Harley and Daniel Kimbro - Live at Southern Ground

2015 – Del Mundo Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct. 24, 2015

 

UK singer/songwriter/guitarist Martin Harley along with Daniel Kimbro, an extremely talented upright bass player from Eastern Tennessee, should work together more often.  The duo recorded the magnificent ten track album, Live at Southern Ground in just a ‘handful of hours’ at Southern Ground Studios in Nashville, Tennessee. With the exception of a couple of covers, the majority of the album features the engrossing lyrics and fetching melodies written by Harley.

“Cardboard King” is such a beautiful song about loss and disappointment.  Harley’s buttery vocals are the icing on this cake filled with an amazing blend of resonator with slide and bow-played bass.  I love the playful and fun approach Martin takes as he picks “Honey Bee” banjo-style.  This one makes me smile, as does the swinging “Love in the Afternoon”.

I can feel the emotion emanating from Harley as he goes to church and plays the hell out of Tom Waits’ “Chocolate Jesus”.  They also nail Blind Willie Johnson’s “Nobody’s Fault But Mine” to the wall.  Harley has the perfect voice for wailing out the blues.  That voice paired with his unique guitar stylings make for a delightful listen.

Live at Southern Ground certainly lands in my personal list of favorite records this year.