Ruf Records artist: Laurence Jones - Take Me High - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Take Me High, from Laurence Jones and it's really hot! Opening with funky rocker, Got No Place To Go, Laurence Jones handles lead vocal and guitar nicely. With fluid guitar riffs and a super bass line by Roger Inniss this track really moves. Bob Fridzema plays a pretty handy keyboard and Phil Wilson's drum riffs are tight and demanding. Excellent! On Something's Changed, Jones blends a funky beat with a Reggae line coming up with a really terrific rocker. His guitar riffs are melodic and really nicely phrased. This is some hot shit! With a big bat swinging like a pendulum, Jones and Wilson set a basic pattern with really hot bass lines under the top by Inniss. With radio styling, this track has it's share of blues fueled guitar soloing but with modern, rock styling and snappy drum riffs. Over a basic Hendrix (All Along The Watchtower) theme, I Will is s solid ballad punched up by the Hammond work of Fridzema and smooth backing vocals by Reuben Richards. Thinking About Tomorrow has a smooth country rock feel with traces of the best of the Marshall Tucker Band (Can't You See). Easy paced lines, bounced against against Jones lead vocals make for a real nice track. Title track, Take Me High, is a complex rocker with interesting cross blending. Jones vocals are consistently clear and cool, and his guitar riffs are twangy yet punky with traces of Jimi's hammer ons. Cool! Down and Blue maintain's a blues rock format but the guitar work gets a bit more adventuresome and loose. Never losing control, this track helps to cement Jones' guitar prowess. With a light funk, The Price I Pay features Paul Jones on harmonica and a solid back beat by Inniss and Wilson. Jones plays snappy guitar riffs topping up the funky overtone and his vocals are nicely phrased. Wrapping the release is Stevie Wonder's super hit, Higher Ground. The original driving beat is maintained with only minute interruptions for guitar iteration. Jones breaks it open for a real nice guitar solo in the middle where Inniss maintains a basic blues bass line. With a bit of a change up the band double times it a few times in rock style and closes on a high spot. Very nicely done.



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