2017 – Rezonate Records
By Phillip Smith;
Apr 29, 2017
It didn’t take very long at
all for me to fall head over heels for this
record.
Mandy Lemons’ powerful vocals stand-out as her husband,
guitarist/producer Sturgis Nikides plays
incredibly smooth slide, making for some deliciously twangy blues. With backing from a Belgian rhythm section
featuring bassist Jacky Verstraeten
and drummer Bart De Bruecker, the
band, Low Society takes on its
intriguing personality. Sanctified, their third studio album is
a hard-hitting, gobsmacking delight. It was
recorded partly in Belgium and partly in Memphis, where the band currently
resides.
I love their cover of John Prine’s “Angel From Montgomery”. It’s such a beautiful song, and sounds terrific
with Lemons on the mic. Guest pianist Rick Steff adds a lovely accompaniment. There’s a crisp stillness which lingers in
the air when I hear “Nina”. This one
reminds me tremendously of Fleetwood Mac
during their mid-Seventies years. “Drowning
Blues” and “Raccoon Song” are captivating as well. I could listen to Nikides play this all day. The
spirits of the cross-roads must have been summoned for title-track “Sanctified”
for Lemons and Nikides both dole out no-holds-barred
performances.
Sanctified closes
out with an exquisite heartfelt cover of Etta
Jame’s blues classic, “I’d Rather Go Blind”. Low
Society magnificently delivers a marvelous album of blues enacted with a
rebellious flair. It’s a new favorite,
for sure.
