2021 – Faversham Records
By Phillip Smith; April 17, 2021
I’m absolutely enamored over Where
Are We Now, the debut album from The Jujubes. It’s delightfully soaked in that wonderful
delta blues and served with an unbridled authority. With a stripped-down and raw approach to their
music, it’s truly amazing what this South East London trio brings to the
table. Comprised of singer Nikki
Brooks, guitarist Sandy Michie, and harp player/guitarist Pete
Sim, the band covers eight classic blues songs and delivers three originals.
A formidable dose of slide guitar and harmonica ushers this blues album in with a wonderful cover of Mississippi Fred McDowell’s “You’re Gonna Be Sorry”. Nikki’s vocals are a sultry and fearless combination made to sing the blues. Her delivery on Elmore James’ “Hurts Me Too” is beautiful. It sounds perfect alongside Pete’s radiant harmonica performance and Sandy’s sweet swampy guitar. They win more of my affection on the Son House classic “John the Revelator”. It’s wonderfully eerie with its haunting guitar licks and Nick Marangoni’s heartbeat-like pulse on drums. More ominous gospel blues ensues with Willie Johnson’s “Dark Was the Night”. This almost-instrumental ingeniously creates a dark and uneasy atmosphere with brilliant slide guitar and sounds of creaking floors.
Their original songs are great too. Title-track “Where Are We Now” is marvelously melancholy. Nikki sings this one with pure emotion as she questions the status of a shaky relationship. I love how “Change is Coming” takes an upbeat path. The song’s partying juke-house rhythm occasionally swerves into the North Mississippi lane and magnificently ends in a furious explosion of sound. Another favorite, “The Funeral Song” is a delicate and fragile torch song which steals my heart. It’s fabulous.
Where Are We Now steals my heart with every listen. I’m already looking forward to the Jujubes next release.
---
For more information about the artist, visit their Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/thejujubes
Take a listen to the album on Apple Music.
