I just received the newest release (October 16, 2015), The Reverend Shawn Amos Loves You, from The Reverend Shawn Amos and it's funky blues time! Opening with gospel style track, Days of Depression, Amos, on lead vocal is joined by the Blind Boys of Alabama on an old school blues track with only primitive guitar and the sounds of their voices. Very nice! Brand New Man has a much more aggressive rock feel and Chris "Doctor" Roberts grunts out some pretty impressive guitar riffs. Driven by Brady Blade on drums, Lewis Smith on trumpet and Mindi Abair on sax, this track rocks! Slowing down with a little shuffle, Boogie, features Amos on harp and vocals joined by Missy Andersen. Brothers Keeper has a solid R&B feel and Amos lays in a nice blues line on harp. Roberts leads off You're Gonna Miss Me (When I Get Home), a funky track with a solid bottom provided by Chris Thomas. Roberts plays a nicely distorted guitar solo and Amos follows with a cool harp riff which seems to really get him wound up vocally. Cool! Rompin blues track, Joliet Bound has a rudimentary feel with only percussion, guitar and vocal. One of my favorite tracks on the release, this track is solid! Will You Be Mine has a swampy feel with a Mississippi feel enhanced by acoustic slide guitar vamping. Breaking out the harp again, Amos gives the track a heavier blues feel and Anthony Martinelli on keys adds texture. I particularly like Amos' vocals on this track. The Outlaw is a lumbering Chicago style blues with traditional horn and guitar clues. Amos handles lead vocals like a pro and Roberts adds a gritty guitar solo. Horn punctuation by Smith and Abair ride nicely over the bass line of Blade. On Jimmy Reed's Bright, Lights Big City, Abair joins Amos on lead vocal with light snare work and groovy guitar riffs. Amos' harp riffs are balanced by Abair on sax and Martinelli carries the middle on keys. Hollywood Blues opens with solid guitar/bass rhythm and B3 by Hassell Teekell. A shuffle track, Amos leads the way on vocal backed by warm horn work of Smith and Abair. Put Together is a funky track with Roberts reinforcing the rhythm. Amos is very comfortable in this slot and horn work by Abair and Martinelli really boosts the funk. I really like the guitar freedom exercised by Roberts and Amos joins in on harp adding to the improvisational nature but with solid horn lines keeping home base. Very cool! Wrapping the release is The Last Day I'm Loving You, a bluesy ballad with soft and comforting backing vocals by Forever James and Abair, and given a particularly somber feel by added B3 of Teekell. Very nice finish to a well done release!
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