Airtight Records artists: D'Mar & Gill - Take It Like That - New release review

I just received the newest release, Take It Like That, from D'Mar & Gill and it has a fresh, cool sound. Opening with I Fell In Love With The Blues, a catchy number with a cool walking bass line by Kid Andersen, Chris Gill leads on vocals and guitar and Aki Kumar adds in just the right amount of harp. Derrick D'Mar is tight on drums with cool piano work from Bob Welsh and nice backing vocals from Lisa Andersen. Back To Paradise has a real cool funky beat and an overdriven guitar feel putting me in mind of rhythm work by Mr Cooder himself. Very cool! Song For Honeyboy has a loose slide guitar rider following Gill's vocals and D'Mar creates a loose train feel on drums. A real nice guitar "duet" on slide with Kid Andersen sets this track off along the lines of a JJ Cale's Call Me The Breeze. Souvenir Of The Blues has a classic soulful blues feel. Gills vocals on this track are particularly expressive as are his guitar riffs. Jemmot's bass riffs hold the bottom nicely as Gill and Andersen lay down some real nice riffs. Excellent! Dancin' Girl has the feel of north Mississippi and it's raw blues form. One of my favorite tracks on the release it features cigar box slide and an echo distorted vocal with drums and simple bass. Very cool. You Never Know has a island (Taj Mahal) kind of feel with vocal, light guitar and drums. Soothing. Three Ways Inn has an "easy slung" blues tempo and a nicely crafted melody. A tight little guitar solo on this track plays well against Gill loose vocals. Must Be Love has a cool strut and a taste of new Orleans with nice piano riffs from Welsh. I am particular to Gills vocal style on this track and his clawing guitar style as well. Very cool! Take It Like That has a Latin rhythm and a Caribbean looseness thanks to D'mar. Interesting guitar riffs throughout give the track a different feel and a definite hip slip with smooth backing vocals by Lisa. Sweet Tooth is another track with a bit of Cooder in it. I am a Cooder fan and the general styling of this track takes me back to some of his much earlier works. Lonesome For Leavin' is a really nice blues grind with great acoustic slide guitar sounds. Possibly my favorite track on the release it has much of the characteristics of an old delta blues with lots of teeth and grit. Tore Down & Blue has an R&B/Reggae feel. I really like this track with it's fresh approach to blues/R&B with it's nicely stylized vocal and guitar work over a super groove by Jemmot and D'Mar. Wrapping the release is Since I Saw You, an easy pop ballad with a casual vocal line, a nice bass groove from Jemmot and Frankie Ramos on sax.

   

  If you support live Blues acts, up and coming Blues talents and want to learn more about Blues news and Fathers of the Blues, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! -  ”LIKE”