GA-20
Crackdown
2022 – Karma Chief
Records
By Phillip Smith; Aug. 27, 2022
Original source : phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com
Last year, I heard GA-20’s
attention-snatching tribute to the legendary bluesman Hound Dog Taylor,
and I’ve been a fan of theirs ever since.
Consisting of guitarist Matt Stubbs, a fourteen-year veteran of Charlie
Musselwhite’s touring band, guitarist/vocalist Pat Faherty, and
drummer Tim Carman, GA-20 has been a force in the blues arena since
2018. The trio’s latest record, Crackdown
consists of ten all-original tracks seared to perfection with their raw, unbridled
approach to the blues, and I absolutely love it.
From the beginning, I’m captivated by the blanket of fuzz and heavy bass forming the ominous landscape of “Fairweather Friend”. Fueled by a driving rhythm and cast with a vintage sound, the song grabs ahold of me with a tight grip. GA-20 calls back to the days of Howlin’ Wolf with “Easy on the Eyes”. Steeped in swampy juke-joint blues and loaded with feral howls, the song is definitely one of my favorites. The spirit of James Brown is summoned and cast into the funky title-track “Crackdown”. If one can’t get down to this one, they’ve surely passed on to another plane of existence. Short, sweet, and clocking in at just a bit over two minutes, “Double Getting”, is another cool-as-hell tune. With a lively beat, it dances its way through rockabilly, surf-rock, and blues, culminating in retro-rock experience.
GA-20 continues to push the envelope with blues, all-while maintaining a high level of authenticity. This is a band I really want to catch live. I know it would be a great experience.
For more information about GA-20, visit this website : https://ga20band.com
T
