Hunters Records artist: JT Lauritsen - Play By The Rules - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Play By The Rules, by JT Lauritsen. Opening with William Bell's Everyday Will Be Like A Holiday, Lauritsen lays down an extremely soulful track with essential keys by Paul Wagnberg; clean guitar soloing by Arnfinn Torrisen and Ian Fredrick Johannessen and super gospel like vocal backing from Atle Rakvag, Sven Zetterberg, Larry McCray and Kerry Clarke. Really strong. up next is original track Next Time, a New Orleans style track with jammin rhythm by Jon Grimsby on drums and Victor Wainwright on piano. Josh Roberts plays a cool guitar riff on this track and the vocal backing crew is again spot on. On Play By The Rules vocal duets between Lauritsen and Teresa James and Debbie Jamison are really nice but you also can't miss sizzling slide guitar work by Josh Roberts throughout. Nice job! On Big Walter's Need My Babe, Billy Gibson steps up on harp and pushes Lautitsen who sings lead and also plays harp into a really super Chicago style blues. Paul Wagnberg contributes a cool Hammond solo on this track and Wainwright's work on piano can never be understated. Greg Gumpel plays a swingin guitar solo as well. On Wainwright penned track, Memphis Boogie, Wainwright takes the lead and lays down a terrific piano boogie line which is added nicely to by Lauritsen on accordion and Roberts on guitar. Jon Grimsby keeps it all tight on drums joined by Leo Goff on bass. (This ones for you stilladog) Smokin! Really nice soul track I'll Never Get Over You written by band member Atle Rakvag and Knut Eide has a strong sound of Philly. Lauritsen shows his strength as a lead singer on a soul track and again the backing vocals are key. Torrisen and Johannessen on guitar and Wagnberg each take short expressive riffs and the bass player (Rakvag) wrote in smart lines for himself as well. Well done. Another Louisiana influenced track, Ever Since The World Began, has a really nice bottom by Grimsby and Rakvag drives the bass really nicely. Vocal harmony on this track as elsewhere on the release is really super. Stinging guitar work from Torrisen and Johannessen really spice up the track. Another original track, Find My little Girl has a bit of an early rock/blues beat (Big Boss Man). Super swinger Anson Funderburgh steps up for a classic guitar on this track. Eye Candy is a rock bottom driven track again written by Rakvag and Eide. This is a classic early blues rock style track and I really like it (even has cow bell!). This track is a bit different from the rest of the release but it's a mover and possibly one of my favorites on the release... and that's good. On Bo Carlsson's classic The Blues Got Me, Lauritsen opens with cool harp work and a great blues lope. This is a great closing track and although not noted great piano work. Gumpel plays some really authentic guitar riffs and Lauritsen delivers a great closer. This is a really super release with a taste of different styles cohesively blended together for a thoroughly enjoyable album.  

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