Live @ The Montmartre - Kelly's Lot - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Live @ the Montmartre from Kelly's Lot. Opening with Reason For The Blues, a lively shuffle track, vocalist Kelly Zirbes has a natural feel for the stage. Guitarists Perry Robertson and Rob Zucca trade some nice blues and slide riffs on this track and Matt McFadden is solid on bass with Robert Dill on drums. Hush Up, another shuffle tune has a faster pace and the guitar duo push the track to the next level. Taking Time has more of a pop blues style but with some interesting musical twists. Redbone finds Kelly singing with a more old style blues vocal style and maybe with a little Grace Slick mixed in. Clever guitar riffs surround the vocal track. Better Way has a Latin rhythm accentuated by Dill. Robertson plays some cool southern slide guitar riffs as well as chicken picken finger licken riffs. Funky track Come To This, has some musical similarities to Use Me Up but with more of a rock feel. Again simple but effective guitar work adds nicely to the track. On Robert Johnson's Crossroads (as arranged by The Cream) Kelly leads on vocals but this track is really about the guitar work. Robertson and Zucca do veer away from a straight forward cover of Clapton but retain the basic feel of the "original". Tired is a slow blues track giving Kelly the most open vocal opportunity. This is really a pretty cool guitar track with 10 minutes or so for Robertson and Zucca to jam. Train has a real feel of Chris Duarte, kind of a SRV Texas funk. Cool track. Once again, the guitr duo does a nice job of delivering an interesting exchange. Right Now, a blues rocker, has a cool hook and melody. A nicely timed guitar solo on this track, although more contained is nicely effective. Pistol, a country style track loosely based on Wonder/Beck Superstitious melody with a definite country bend. Homage To Janis Joplin has more of a bluesy folksy sound but with more pronounced Joplin like affections in Kelly's vocals. Steppenwolf guitar vamp is an interesting addition to the track along with nice under the melody single riffing. Nobody Here But Me has a loose SF sixties sound with tight rhythm by McFadden and Dill. Wrapping the release is Happy Girl, a strong Texas style Boogie. Not needing much to get them front and center, Robertson and Zucca take turns ripping on this track. Nice conclusion to a pretty straight track.

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