For the first time, Prairie
Dog Blues Festival had live music on the Thursday evening preceding the
festival to get things going.For this inaugural
addition to the festival, the chosen band to kick it all off was Memphis
Tennessee’s Ghost Town Blues Band.Playing two ninety-minute sets with a minor break in between, they
performed all of their fan-favorites, as well as a lot of deep cuts.The show was colossal to say the least.
I love it when music like
this new self-titled album from Color Green comes my way.Their music is cut from the same fabric as
many of my favorite bands, such as Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers,
Phish, and Flaming Lips. Formed
in Queens, but now based in Los Angeles, Color Green is comprised of co-founders
Noah Kohll and Corey Madden.Together this duo creates a dreamy eight-track cocktail of roots-based
rock.
“Warbling Sky” tranquilly
floats through the gate first. riding atop a layer of pedal steel from Tim
Ramsey and a Dead-inspired bridge which explodes with energy.It’s magnificent. Upbeat and slightly twangy,
“Ill Fitting Suit” is another fun one.With a hook that says “you pay your dues, I’ll pay mine”, this song
would easily compel a field of hippies to dance.With Madelyn Strutz on banjo, “Bell of
Silence” is one that soothes the soul with its beautiful, lush melody and
hypnotizing harmonies.Another bonified
favorite track “Blizzed Out” swings to a Seventies southern rock groove.This honey-hole of a track is bodaciously
slathered in slide guitar and peppered with unexpected cosmic attacks.It’s absolutely brilliant.
I highly recommend this
album.Color Green is a terrific listen
from start to finish.
Montreal-based blues-rocker Cliff
Stevens has recently released his fifth studio album Better Days.Loaded with eleven brand-new originals, this record
is a genuine dose of heart-tugging blues, reminiscent of the album-oriented music
popular in the Seventies.The music
ranges from old-school delta blues to that inspired by the likes of Eric Clapton
and Stevie Ray Vaughan.It surely
makes for a hearty listen.With Stevens
on guitar and vocals, Sam Harrison appears on drums, Serge Dionne
on bass, Eric Suave on organ/piano, Pat Loiselle on harmonica,
and Kim Feeney on vocals.
Stevens rips the wrapping paper off this package in a
spectacular way with Texas smoked blues guitar and a sizzling rack of rhythm as
title-track “Better Days” lunges forward.It’s plumb terrific. Between Stevens’ vocals and Suave’s
funktified piano, there’s a huge Dr. John vibe going on in “No Room Left”
as Stevens continues to tear it up on guitar.Amid a driving beat, lush organ, and barrelhouse
piano, more hot licks ensue on “Time For Me to Go”. Then, it’s low and slow for some deep blues on
“I’ve Been Thinking About You”.Steven’s
string-bending performance is sweet and crisp.It sounds so damn good.When he
pairs slide guitar with precision picking, the best of two worlds collide, bringing
the album to its end with a delectable instrumental called ‘Slim Picking”.
Between the fabulous songwriting
and the flawless execution of the songs, Better Days from Cliff Stevens
stands out as a one of my favorites of the Summer.
I’ve been hooked on Starlite
Campbell Band since reviewing their first album, Blueberry Pie five
years ago.That was such an amazing
album.For their third release, wife and
husband Suzy Starlite, and Simon Campbell took their songs on the
road across the UK and wove together this delightful eight-track album of live
performances with drummer Steve Gibson (Buzzcocks, Jack Bruce) and three
organists Jonny Henderson (Matt Schofield, Kirk Fletcher), Christian
Madden (the Liam Gallagher Band), and Josh Phillips (Procol Harum).
With a strong opener called “Brother”
off Campbell’s 2011 solo album Thirtysix, the music kicks off with
a funky beat backed by swirling keys and a driving rhythm.Their hot guitar licks and buttery bass sound
fabulous. From that same solo album,
they break out two more smokin’ blues-rockers: “Preacher of Love” and “Misgivings”.
They both sound magnificent.
“Said So” from their 2021 Language
of Curiosity album, ushers the listener through time and space with
brush-strokes of The Kinks, Allman Brothers, and The Who,
culminating into a mind-blowing psychedelic treat.With Josh Phillips behind the keys, they
close the record with a beautiful cover of Procol Harum’s “Whiter Shade
of Pale”.Campbell’s vocals are
flawless.
Infectious hooks, meaty jams,
and innovative song-writing stand front and center, making Starlite Campbell
Band’sLive album an exhilarating listen.It keeps my full attention from beginning to end.
It was a beautiful day for a music festival in North Liberty, Iowa. Sunshine was abundant, accompanied by blues skies and white clouds. Centennial Park was filled with festival-goers seeking blues, barbeque, and fellowship. The barbecue was delicious, and although I did not stay for the entire event, the music I heard from Avey Grouws Band, Nathan Graham, Sam Ross Quartet, The Tanya English Band, and Lilly Hiatt, was downright terrific!