PhillyCheeze's Rock & Blues Reviews

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Prodo - Prodotype

2014 – Independent

By Phillip Smith; Nov 15, 2014

Prodotype, the debut album from Prodo, a trio from Stevens Point, WI, is nine tracks of funky and infectious grooves. Prodo consists of guitarist/lead vocalist Henry Robinson, bassist Jeremy Erickson, and drummer Dane Paster.

A fun little nod to Kurt Vonnegut’s Cat’s Cradle, is “The Bokonon”, which by the way, nicely kicks the album off. Erickson and Paster keep the groove on this one, while Robinson dishes out a Santana-inspired bridge. While getting lost in the contagious rhythm guiding “The Student”, I can’t help but smile at the clever philosophical ‘tip of the hat’ to the film, The Big Lewbowski. “J2”, a tight little progressive-rock instrumental, is a definite standout performance and it reminds me just a bit of classic Yes. This is a track the band really shines on.

One thing for sure about Prodo: they know how to construct masterful jams. Robertson sings of many past lives in “The Secret”, a ska-flavored track which pulls me in with unique jams and well-crafted lyrics. I’m also quite drawn to the Caribbean-friendly groove at the base of “Chingus”, about a traveling loner. This is a track I can identify with.

My favorite track, however, is “Fat Pessimist”. It crawled deep inside my head on upon my first listen, and now it beckons to be listened to every day. The lyrics, “I got too much pop!” are not only stuck in my head, but by now are permanently secured. Good job.

Prodotype, in its entirety, is such a fun album; I can’t help but be in a good mood after listening. I certainly look forward to hearing more from Prodo.

http://prodo.bandcamp.com/album/prodotype

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

Saturday, November 8, 2014

Mike Zito and the Wheel - Songs From the Road

2014 – Ruf Records

By Phillip Smith; Nov 8, 2014

Mike Zito and the Wheel played a live gig at the Dosey Doe in The Woodlands, TX to a sold-out crowd on January 10, 2014, and fortunately recorded this exciting event for our enjoyment. Songs From the Road captures the essence of Zito, with an extraordinary set list of past favorites, some older and some newer, boasting five tracks off his most recent studio album, Gone to Texas.

The funky “Don’t Break a Leg” opens the set. Rob Lee stands out as the fantastic drummer he is, and Jimmy Carter tears it up on sax. Of course, it probably goes without saying; Zito’s guitar playing is amazing. I love the bands performance on “Hell on Me”. This one has an ominously groovy rhythm which is very pleasing to the ears. Again, Zito, simply put, cooks when it comes to playing guitar. Other tracks from Gone to Texas include “Rainbow Bridge”, “Subtraction Blues” and title track, “Gone to Texas”.

I’m so glad “Greyhound” made the cut for this album. It’s classic rock in the same style as Jackson Brown and Bruce Springsteen. The band sounds big, with Jimmy Carpenter belting out blasts from his sax, and Lewis Stephens pounding the keys. I’m also glad Zito’s cover of Prince’s “Little Red Corvette” made the cut. Although, the song sounds totally different than the original, this cool little song still maintains an Eighties vibe to it, in a “St Elmo’s Fire” kind of way. It’s definitely a treat to hear.

Mike Zito and the Wheel score big with Songs From the Road. He really is an amazing artist, and it shows on this album.

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Bruce Katz Band - Homecoming

2014 – American Showplace Music

By Phillip Smith; Nov 1, 2014

Just give the Bruce Katz Band’s Homecoming a listen and you will find out rather quickly why he has been nominated three times for the "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year” Blues Music Award. Legendary keyboardist Katz, is backed by guitarist/vocalist Chris Vitarello and drummer Ralph Rosen. Special guests on this album include John Hammond, Jimmy Bennett, Marty Ballou, Peter Bennett and Randy Ciarlante. Homecoming is symbolic of Katz’s return to work on his own music, after several years of backing the likes of Gregg Allman and Delbert McClinton. The music selected for this thirteen track album, is steeped heavily in Blues and Jazz, then delivered via feel-good jams.

Katz brings a new life to Lightnin’ Hopkins’ “Santa Fe Blues” as a piano performance piece with a slightly quicker tempo than the original. With Blues Hall of Famer John Hammond at the helm on vocals, this song has an amazingly authentic bluesy sound. From the acclaimed Alexis P Suter Band, guitarist Jimmy Bennett and bassist Peter Bennett drop by to jam on Elmore James’ “Wild About You Baby”. J. Bennett not only rips it up on guitar, but takes the vocal lead on this great cover as well.

Joining Katz and gang again, J. Bennett sings and plays guitar on one of his own originals “It’s a Bad Time”. It’s so fun to listen him and Katz playfully dance their instrumentation around in this Coltrane-influenced jam. I love the abundance of jazzy instrumentals Katz scatters about the album, such as “No Brainer”, “The Czar”, and my favorite “Amelia”, which has a vibe that reminds me of Page McConnell from Phish.

It’s so cool how an album such as Homecoming can exude such positive energy and maintain that output from start to finish. Honestly, I could listen to this album all day long and not get tired of it at all.

http://phillycheezeblues.blogspot.com/

Saturday, October 25, 2014

The Alexis P. Suter Band - Love the Way You Roll

2014 – American Showplace Music

By Phillip Smith; Oct 25, 2014

There is something magnificent about listening to The Alexis P. Suter Band’s new album, Love the Way You Roll. It’s raw, swampy, bluesy and utterly fantastic. Suter takes full command of her microphone, exquisitely belting out each song as her band, made up of guitarist Jimmy Bennett, drummer Ray Grappone, bassist Peter Bennett, and backing vocalist Vicki Bell, dishes out amazingly tight performances. Also appearing on the album, is John Ginty with his Hammond B3 in tow.

“Nuthin’ In the World” ushers the listener into this funky energized album heavily steeped in the blues, with catchy hooks and outstanding musicianship. Suter and company shine on “Big Mama” as well. I love it when J. Bennett breaks out the slide. It sounds so good alongside Suter’s uniquely styled contralto vocals.

Title track, “Love the Way You Roll”, is mesmerizing, as it seems to dip into the well of trance blues. J. Bennett lets each strum of the guitar hang heavy in the air, adding to the psychedelic effect created by the hypnotic framework built by Grappone and P. Bennett. It’s so cool how this song transforms into the oh-so-familiar “Rollin’ and Tumblin’”. J. Bennett throws down another great performance on “Gonna’ Love You”.

One of the most beautiful tracks on the album is “Anything”. Soulful and slow, this one is so full of emotion it pulls on my heartstrings, much like Otis Redding’s “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay”. J.Bennett seems to extract tears right out of his guitar, as Sutter immerses herself fully into her performance.

I can’t help but smile, when I hear the cover of Slim Harpo’s “Shake Your Hips”. It’s such a happy and fun track to listen to. Love the Way You Roll, nothing short of a masterpiece, is certain to end up as one of my favorite releases for the year.

Saturday, October 18, 2014

JW-Jones - Belmont Boulevard

2014 – Blind Pig Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct 18, 2014

After listening to this fascinating recording, which artfully blends country music and rockabilly with the blues, it’s no surprise to discover Canadian bluesman JW-Jones recorded his eighth and most recent album, Belmont Boulevard, in Nashville, Tennessee. Enlisting Grammy winner, Tom Hambridge to co-write and produce seems to have paid off very well.

Jones gets the adrenaline pumping while covering Bobby Parker’s “Watch Your Step”. Putting his own cool spin on the song, he cleverly throws a lot of ‘twang’ into it, giving it a retro country sound. The intro immediately made me think of Jerry Reed’s “Amos Moses”. Another expertly performed cover tackled by Jones is Buddy Guy’s “What’s Inside of You”. Some of his most serious and finest guitar playing is exhibited on this track. This song is pure blues. Jones’ guitar sounds so sweet as it co-mingles with the keyboards handled by Reese Wymans.

“Don’t Be Ashamed”, interestingly blends blues with surf rock. Haunting guitar riffs, pulsating organ attacks, and a spectacular guitar solo, make this a favorite. “Magic West Side Boogie” is phenomenal. With guitar playing reminiscent of Jim Heath of Reverend Horton Heat, Jones delivers the goods, as does Jamie Holmes who plays the hell out of the drums.

Jones sets a swampy psychedelic mood with “Cocaine Boy”, which he understandably saves for last. This gonzo treat is delivered via tinny and echoey vocals sung atop a slow-basted bass line. Guitar licks enter the song, like screams in a haunted house, making this track quite a wild listen.

This album has a way of captivating the listener, and not letting go.

Sunday, October 5, 2014

An Evening with Kris Kristofferson: The Pilgrim: Ch 77 Union Chapel, London

2014 – Virgin Records

By Phillip Smith; Oct 4, 2014

Live albums are often times “hit or miss”, for me, for varying reasons such as bad sound, or coaxed audience participation. This new double album from the legendary Kris Kristofferson, recorded live in London at Union Chapel, September 26, 2013 , steers clear of those self-imposed landmines, and emerges as one of my all-time favorite live albums. In an intimate setting, Kristofferson plays his songs, stripped down to the most basic of levels, alone on a stage with just his guitar and harmonica.

With almost forty-five years’ worth of material to choose his set-list from, Kristofferson performs a nice blend of both new and old, drawing a lot deeper from his earlier years, playing fourteen songs off his first and second albums from 1970-1971, Kristofferson, and Silver Tongued Devil. Classic songs, such as “Me and Bobby McGee”, “Help Me Make it Through the Night”, and “Loving Her Was Easier” quickly put a smile on my face. For a nice little tie-in, while introducing “Casey’s Last Ride”, Kristofferson mentions he wrote it in London about a half a century ago. From his newer albums, we are treated to title tracks, “Feeling Mortal” (2013), and “Closer to the Bone” (2009) ,

We’re also treated to several selections from his 2003 politically-centric live album, Broken Freedom Song , with songs such as “Broken Freedom Song”, “The Circle”, and “Sky King”. Another song from that album, which lands in this performance, is one of my favorites, “Here Comes that Rainbow”, a lovely song about paying it forward.

The album just wouldn’t be complete without playing longtime favorite, “Jesus Was a Capricorn”, which Kristofferson masterfully segues in from “You Show Me Yours”. I’ve never been to London, but when I listen to this album, I feel as though I am transported to the front row of Union Chapel, among the audience, taking everything in. And that is what I absolutely love about An Evening with Kris Kristofferson: The Pilgrim; Ch 77.