Maggie Fraser - The Way That I Wish It Was - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Way That I Wish It Was, by Maggie Fraser and it's classic roots music at it's best. Opening with Your Ghost, Maggie Fraser on vocal and acoustic creates a special environment, joined by Rich Roxborough on keys and Alec Fraser on backing vocals, Guitars and Circus bass. Pure country, The Cornfield is a real nice track with Maggie paired with Colleen Hodgson on vocal, and authentic fiddle and pedal steel by Chris Bartos and Alec Fraser on bass, drums and acoustic guitar. Very cool. Our Little Canoe is a really nice track with European influenced Mandolin and bodhran by James McKie and Fraser on Bass and keys. Excellent! Title track, The Way That I Wish It Was, has classic country  bones, a solid melody and with Denis Keldie on organ and accordion, and Fraser on bass and guitar, another solid contribution. Wrapping the release is Song For Susan, a sold ballad featuring Maggie on vocal, Bartos on violin and moog bass and Alec on acoustic guitar. This is not your regular album and I think it stands tall in feel and realism. 

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Stony Plain Records artist: The Strongman Blues Remedy, Volume 1 - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, The Strongman Blues Remedy, Volume 1, from The Strongman Blues Remedy and it's chocked full of foot tapping blues. Opening with blues rocker, Hard Luck, leader Steve Strongman adds great slide riffs, bass and harmonica to his solid lead vocal efforts for a super radio track. Joined by Dave King on drums and Jesse O'Brien on keys this is a great opener. Dawn Tyler Watson has the mic on Fine Young Man, a solid radio track with country and blues roots. Slick slide work by Strongman and with O'Brien on keys and King on drums, another fine track. Slow blues, White Lightnin' is my favorite track on the release with Strongman's best vocals on the release and strong, soulful, fluid guitar lead, backed by Alec Fraser on bass. Excellent! Crystal Shawanda has the mic on Tell Me I'm Wrong and her vocals are sassy and powerful against the bluesy riffs of Strongman. Wrapping the release is Love Comin' In with it's poppy shuffle feel. Strongman is back up front on vocal and his guitar work is bluesy and slick. With grinding rhythm work and a driving bottom, this is a solid closer for a cool release. 

  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”

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Al Lerman - Northern Bayou - New Release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Northern Bayou, from Al Lerman and it has a great feel. Opening with Down To The River, a cool swampy track with solid vocals, harmonica and guitar work by Lerman, backed by Alec Fraser on bass, Chuck Keeping on drums and real nice piano by Lance Anderson. My favorite track on the release is country flavored, Dirty Little Secret, with just the right pace. Lerman's vocals are perfect, his harp work inspired, and another great display on piano by Anderson gives it a great boost as well. Shuffle track, Delta Stomp is another great toe tapper with Lerman on lead harmonica, tight rhythm by Fraser, Keeping and Anderson as well as real nice guitar work by Morgan Davis. Very cool. Classic traditional folk/blues track, Deep Ellum Blues is a great choice for this band with it's tight instrumental mix. Wrapping the release is cool Latin flavored pop tune, Hand-Me-Down Hate. This is the definite radio track for the release is it's smooth melody, memorable turnaround and lead vocal/harp by Lerman. 

  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”

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Danny Marks - Cities In Blue - New release review

I just received the newest release, Cities In Blue, by Danny Marks and he covers a lot of blues territory from coast to coast. Opening with a super T-Bone Walker style track, Houston to L.A. Danny Marks handles vocals and displays his strong capability to swing that guitar. Very nice! Belt Line Blues has a rural country style with Al Cross on drums, Danny Marks on slide and Johathan Goldsmith on keys. Once I Was Crazy has a great period feel highlighted by strong riffs from Chris Whiteley on trumpet and Ken Whiteley on Banjo. Very cool. Swing track, Kansas City Shout, has a real nice piano line by Julian Fauth and Marks with Alec Fraser on vocal backed by Mike Wark on sax is super. I'm particularly attracted by the guitar intro on Memphis Got Soul which has nice Albert king blues influence and the solid bari sax work by Phil Skladowski gives it that Memphis horn sound. With a light springy rag style, Heading Down To New Orleans, strongly features Marks' vocals and nicely blended vocal backing. Blues Came To Chicago features David Rotundo on harp and Bucky Berger on drums. Going Down The Road maintains it's revival feel but with mandolin and percussion has more of a primitive feel. Chris Whiteley on harp and Chris and Ken on backing vocals does give it a honest sound. Hey, New York Town has a more modern sound with contemporary guitar playing, organ work by Jonathan Goldsmith, beat by Piltch, hip hop style vocal phrasing by Marks and backing vocals by Sherie Marshall. Land Where Blues Began has a very raw instrumental style with Marks on slide guitar, Marks on acoustic, Al Cross on light percussion and Fraser and Marshall on backing vocal. Wrapping the release is Lights Out, a slick jazzy instrumental number with an almost a beach feel but holding onto the blues, Otis Rush style. Possibly my favorite track on the release and a super closer.



  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”

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