#441 : Emily Duff - Born on the Ground

2020 – Emily Duff / Mr Mudshow Music
By Phillip Smith; April 18, 2020

I’m loving this new disc, Born on the Ground from New York City troubadour Emily Duff.  Her introspective lyrics on this nine-track break-up album are wonderfully delivered with a heaping helping of soulful country twang.  With Duff on acoustic guitar and lead vocals, her band consists of Scott Aldrich on electric guitar, Skip Ward on bass, Charlie Giordano on piano/organ, Kenny Soule on drums/percussion, Eric Amble on electric guitar, and background vocalists Mary Lee Kortes, Syd Straw, and Tricia Scotti.

In title track “Born on the Ground”, Duff sings ‘When you’re born on the ground, you’re dead inside.’.  Her powerful and poignant lyrics go head to head with masterful writers such as Bob Dylan and Lucinda Williams, as she sings them with a voice made for western music.  I instantly fall for “Easy Go”.  From the beginning of this up-tempo song, I’m pulled right in, lured by its strong pulse and infectious riffs.  There’s a deliciously dark Tom Waits energy in the playfully sublime “No Escape”.  It’s bluesy and cool as hell.  Duff is not one to be reckoned with as she belts out “Knuckle Sandwich”.  She tackles the song with a fearless, punk attitude, and tops it with driving guitar, crashing drums, and barrelhouse piano.  I can’t get enough of this one.  It’s definitely my favorite.      

Born on the Ground is a superb album of all original songs which have certainly grabbed my attention.  This is a record I highly recommend. 

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For more information about the artist, visit this website – emilyduff.bandcamp.com  

Wooden Nickel Lottery - Down the Line

2016 – Violet Isle Records

By Phillip Smith; July 9, 2016

There’s something kind of special about Wooden Nickel Lottery’s latest album, Down the Line.  The songs take me back to the late Seventies, when rock music relied on well-written songs, and radio stations still played a mix of genres.  That’s exactly what these Eastern Iowa musicians have to offer, as they skillfully combine splashes of rock, blues, country, funk and soul to create their own special blend of homegrown tunes.  The band is composed of lead vocalist/guitarist Rick Gallo, guitarist/tunesmith Rich Toomsen, bassist Jessica Toomsen, and drummer Delayne Stallman.

Gallo soulfully belts out “Can’t Be Wrong” with a power and smoothness which reminds me of Foreigner’s Lou Gramm.  I dig the funky bassline Jess lays down on “No Second Chances”.  It puts a smile on my face with every listen.  It’s easy to get lost in the bluesy melody on “Yesterday’s Rain”. It’s nice and slow, with an Allman Brothers vibe.  Hearing this one played live with an extended jam would be a treat for sure.  WNL kicks out the jams in hoedown fashion for a downright bodacious and intense instrumental, “Throw It Down”.  They keep the fire burning with the rocker “The Open Road”, staying on course with a driving beat from Stallman as Rich sweetly rips it up on guitar.   

For a cool-as-hell finale, the album closes out with a swampy homage to the working man in the track “Nickels and Dimes”.  Wooden Nickel Lottery scores big with Down the Line.  It is such an enjoyable album, I anxiously await their next.

 

Mr. Rick - Sings About God + Booze

2015 – SOCAN

By Phillip Smith; Feb 13, 2016

Mr. Rick (aka Rick Zolkower) cleverly walks the line between sin and salvation in his latest release, Mr. Rick Sings About God + Booze.  This album presents a wonderful and nostalgic slice of Americana in thirteen delightful tracks.  Following in the footsteps of many of the earlier Grand Ole Opry performers, Mr. Rick can dole out a traditional gospel song as convincingly as he can sing out a hell-bent on self-destruction ditty.  His style of playing guitar is a pleasure to hear as well.

Each song can pretty much be categorized as either a ‘God’ song, or a ‘Booze’ song, and it’s so much fun to listen to them as they intertwine.  The transition from “It’s the Bottle Talking”, an ode to over-indulgence, effortlessly segues into a swinging cover of Blind Willie Johnson’s 1930 gospel song, “You’ll Need Somebody on Your Bond” about making ones way into heaven.  I can’t help but sing along to “I’ll Fly Away”, supposedly the most recorded gospel song of all time and Sister Rosetta Tharp’s bluesy classic “Two Little Fishes”. 

For an upbeat take on Eric Von Shmidt’s “Champagne Don’t Hurt Me”, Mr. Rick is joined by Drew Jurecka on fiddle, making this one such a big pleasure to hear.  Another favorite, Jerrey Irby’s “Drivin’ Nails in My Coffin”, has an uncanny knack for diggin’ right into my brain, only to become hopelessly stuck in my head. For the record, this is one I don’t mind bouncing around my skull.  

Who knew music about God and booze would be such a fantastic pairing?  Like sweet and salty, it just works, and it works splendidly.  Give this album a listen, and let Mr. Rick take you out on Saturday night and bring you to church the next day.   

Chloe Collins - 5 @ 15

2015 – Collins House Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov 12, 2015

 

Listen to the new five song EP, 5 @ 15 by the New York recording artist Chloe Collins, and you’ll find yourself amazed at the sound of her voice.  Collins not only possesses an outstanding ability to sing, but this fifteen year old star shines brightly as a songwriter and guitarist too. Recorded at Grind Central Station in Nashville, and produced by Mikey Reaves, 5 @ 15 is a well-polished album of Country-Pop music.  Backing Collins on additional guitars and instruments is Reaves and Taylor Ivey.  

Breakup ballads, “All Over Again” and “My Goodbye” both have ‘radio-hit’ written all over them.  The music is fresh and catchy.  Collins takes to slightly darker waters with “New Nightmares”, a playful song about cutting lose and raising a little Hell. 

5 @ 15 will certainly resonate with Country-Pop fans all over.  A great voice and good songs make this one a fun little listen.  I look forward to hearing what Collins has in store for us in the future.  

Jaime Wyatt - From Outer Space

2015 – n/a

By Phillip Smith; June 20, 2015

From Outer Space, the latest album from Jaime Wyatt is chock full of rootsy music coated lightly with a layer of pop, covered with crafty lyrics infused with a jolt of Outlaw/Punk attitude.  Wyatt has a distinct flair for songwriting and a devil-may-care style which makes her music so easy to digest and leave one hungry to hear more.  Mark Howard (Lucinda Williams, Tom Waits, REM, U2, Willie Nelson, Bob Dylan) being brought onboard to produce, was an excellent decision.  

Wyatt leads the album off with “Marijuana Man”, a fun Dylanesque alt-country track about a free-wheelin’ hippie encounter gone wrong.  She rips it up on guitar and rocks out on “Twisted”, a vibrant song which brings to mind the music of one of my favorite all-female rock bands from the Nineties, The Donnas.  I love the way “I Want to be Your Girl”, hits the ground running and keeps that energy lifted from start to finish.  This song puts me in my happy place. Like a forgotten song off Paul Simon’s Graceland album, “Stone Hotel” is definitely one of the best on this album.  Daryl Johnson keeps a funky bassline going while Don Heffington commandeers the driving drum pulse perfectly fit for Wyatt’s poetic jailhouse themed lyrics. This one is very nice indeed.    

From Outer Space is quite lovely and no less than outstanding.  Wyatt is sure to be a force of reckoning in the music world, and I look forward to hearing more from her in the future.  

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

Michael ONeill - I Like It Like That

2013 – Sleeping Trout Music

By Phillip Smith; Mar 14, 2015

Michael ONeill has a special talent, when it comes to songwriting. One listen to I Like it Like That, is good proof he can just as easily write for the mainstream country fan, as well as for the indie roots music enthusiast.  One thing is for sure, the songs in I Like it Like That are steeped heavily in Americana.

The first two tracks, “Raise a Glass”, and “When You Come Around”, remind me a lot of the self-reflective songs of Roy Orbison during his career revival in the Eighties. They’re both quite nice. ONeill croons with heartfelt emotion on “Feel Her Heart Break”, a somber song about a bad relationship. The steel guitar on this track is a very nice touch.

ONeill captures the spirit of John Prine in “Running Out of Time”.  This ode seems to say, life is way too short to spend all of our time here on Earth trying to figure out who we are.  “On Time” strikes a chord, paying homage to the Grateful Dead.  Complete with Jerry Garcia influenced guitar and vocals, this ditty is carefree and enlightening.

“ Real Deal” is a perfect pop country song. Catchy energized hooks and rockin’ bluesy riffs make this a boot-scooting favorite.  The alternate version of this song featuring a side of fiddle performed by Tim Crouch, is even better.

For more info on Michael ONeill, visit his website http://michaeloneillmusic.com/

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

Samantha Martin & Delta Sugar - Send the Nightingale

2015 – Samantha Martin Music

By Phillip Smith; Feb 28, 2015

The new album from Toronto-based recording artists Samantha Martin and Delta Sugar is sure to draw a lot of attention and adoration.  Boasting a clever mix of blues, roots, country and gospel music, Send the Nightingale is absolutely compelling.  With vocals that fall into the same wheelhouse as Janis Joplin, Martin takes command of each song.  Guitarist Mikey McCallum, along with backing vocalists Sherie Marshall and Stacie Tabb, form Delta Sugar.    

Martin’s influences are also nicely rooted in Sixties soul music as well.  Kicking off with a light rhythm reminiscent of Dusty Springfield’s “Son of a Preacher Man”, is “Addicted”, a proclaiming song of love, and a soulful joyous treat.  The mood suddenly drops on “When You Walk Away”, a heart wrenching song about splitting up.  McCallum on guitar, brings to mind Steve Cropper’s playing on ”(Sittin' On) The Dock of the Bay”.    

Martin performs “One More Day” with the energy and unbridled exuberance of a gospel band in a southern tent revival.  Complete with obligatory stomps and clap, it’s cloaked in a rootsy and rustic vibe.  To this song, I say “Amen brothers and sisters!”  The song that sticks with me the most though is “Don’t Shoot”.  I absolutely love it.  Martin, like Lucinda Williams, just has an uncanny knack for writing great story-telling songs that rock with a country/western flair.

Excellent songwriting, powerful vocals, fantastic harmonies, and expert musicianship, make Send the Nightingale the wonderful album it is.

   

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

Sam Morrow - Ephemeral

2014 – Forty Below Records

By Phillip Smith; Aug. 9, 2014

Ephemeral, the debut album from singer/songwriter Sam Morrow is anything but ephemeral.  Before I had finished listening to the first of ten songs, “War”, I knew this album was something special.  Singing country-flavored roots songs with a sharp edge of truth, Morrow’s voice reminds me a bit of Eddie Vedder’s.  Morrow delves deep into his own experiences, revisiting the often unpleasant obstacles life blindly tosses around like little grenades.              

Setting the tone for the rest of the album, “War”, invites the listener into Morrow’s melancholy world with despairing lyrics about a husband and father who looks to the bottle for happiness.  Morrow shows great range as a vocalist and writer in the heart wrenchingly beautiful song, “Old Soul”, about the hurt of lost love, and the self-destructive thoughts which go along with it.  “Run” seems to pick up where “Old Soul” leaves off, leaving thoughts of self-destruction behind and replacing them with feelings of anger and declarations of love.  I’m really drawn to its haunting melody, fortified with a cool drum cadence and symphonic strings.  In a Tom Waits fashion, Morrow reexamines the broken relationship with booze, after two years of sobriety, in “December”, a song of reconstruction, remembering and longing.  This softly played guitar and violin tune tugs on my heart strings.

Ephemeral is such a beautifully constructed album of brutal honesty, I can’t get enough of it.  Morrow shines as a writer and performer, and I highly recommend this album.

Damon Fowler - Sounds of Home

Blind Pig Records, 2014

By Phillip Smith; February 8, 2014

Damon Fowler’s latest solo album, Sounds of Home is a grab-bag of Americana at its best.  Soon after finishing the tour with the band, Southern Hospitality, which released one of my favorite albums last year, Easy Livin’, Fowler returned to the studio with bassist Chuck Riley and drummer James McKnight.  Tab Benoit not only produced, recorded and mixed this eleven track album, but he sits in on several songs as well, pitching in on vocals, acoustic guitar, and pedal steel. 

The album is a heavy mix of Country and Blues music. Fowler breaks out some really thick slide, on opening track “Thought I Had It All”.  This one gets the energy flowing, as Fowler makes his slide scream.  It almost borders on Southern Rock.   

Title track, “Sounds of Home” puts a smile on my face, as the guitar riffs bring to mind Steve Cropper, while the backing rhythm is very reminiscent of those cool early days of Stax Records. Big Chief Monk Boudreaux also makes a guest appearance here, pitching in on vocals and tambourine. 

Fowler tackles Elvis Costello’s “Allison” with a slightly different approach as he brings a little country twang to the vocals and melody, and an outstanding guitar solo on the bridge.  While on the subject of outstanding guitar and cover songs, Fowler brings it on again with a very swampy bluesy rendition of Johnny Winter’s “TV Mama”.  It’s so fun just to hear him play guitar, especially on songs like this.

Fowler digs deep and goes really ‘old school’, as he dusts off the classic spiritual, “I Shall Not Be Moved”, and plays it in a very traditional sense as he is joined by Benoit on acoustic guitar and harmonizing vocals.  Beautifully played, I thought this was a cool song to close the album with.    

Albums like “Sounds of Home” are so welcome to hear, as it allows the artist’s raw talent to shine through, and not be muddled by special effects and over-production.  This album is a “keeper”.