Jeff Fetterman - Bottle Full Of Blues - New release review

I just received the newest release, Bottle Full Of Blues, from Jeff Fetterman Band and it's quite good! Opening with Paradise, influences of Jimi Hendrix and Texas blues guitarists are readily apparent. Strong driving guitar riffs by Fetterman on the intro develop into a cool funky groove with John McGuire on drums, Ralph Reitinger III on bass and Anthony Brown on keys. This track has a lot of fluidity and Fetterman is definitely comfortable leading this groove. Very nice! On Out Of Time a Bo Diddley beat is twisted with a Texas blues funk. I particularly like the bass growl of Reitinger. Brown steps up with a blanketing keyboard solo and a nice opening for Fetterman to lay out his guitar chops and Judy Kessler, Amy Shallenberger and Bea Antonelli sing precise backing vocals. Southbound has a driving blues rock beat with riding harp work from Otis James. Strongly blended lead and backing vocals as well as a strong melody make this on the the prime radio style tracks on the release. Title track, Bottle Full Of Blues, has a smooth, sultry blues feel highlighting Fetterman's vocals. Nicely constructed and executed, Fetterman plays Gary Moore style, melodic guitar solo lines highlighting the tension of the track. Very nice! Funky Candy puts me in mind of old Isley Brothers with it's guitar intro. A nice blend of vocals with Fetterman, Shallenberger, Kessler and Antonelli, a Prestonesque organ solo from Brown and solid bass lines from Reitinger gives this track an extra spark. Devil's Shuffle is a slick and quick 12 bar number with just a pinch of country. Loosely based on Freddie King's Hideaway and with crisp harp work from James, a tight guitar solo from Fetterman, a rolling piano solo from Brown and a rumbling bass solo from Reitinger, this is a cool instrumental. Talk To Me is an easy rocker with a clever hook. With traces of the Doobie Brothers with it's devilish drumming and clean guitar solos paired with warm backing vocals this track has certain radio potential. The intro on Down & Out has a really cool sound with guitar drone notes and James on harp giving it a pure blues feel. Adding on a Skynyrd swagger, funky shoes and blues harp and the track has a whole different dimension. Fetterman plays one of his longer and more stinging guitar solo's on the release making it one of my favorites on the release. Wash My Blues Away is a warm friendly track with traces of Doobies with it's catchy hook. Brown and Fetterman blend nicely instrumentally and Fetterman's lead vocals, coupled with the smooth backing by Kessler, Shallenberger and Antonelli make for one of the strongest vocal tracks. Wrapping the release is T-Bone & The Ghost. This is a smokin' jam between Reitinger on bass and McGuire on drums...I love it!

   

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