Billy J - Rise Above - New Release review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Rise Above, from Billy J and it's a solid rocker. Opening with She's Mine, a cool 60's style rocker features Billy J on vocal and guitar, Yonrico Scott on drums, Charlie Wooton on bass, and Jeremy Baum on keys, this track could have turned up on an early Englisher metal rocker. Cool opener. Shuffle, Line Em Up is a slick blues rocker with a tight bass line and solid guitar riffs. Slow blues ballad, New Car, gives Billy a strong opportunity to step up and show his stuff soloing. With a play on words with the lyrics and a plenty of space to move, Billy sets a great table. She is a simple, mostly acoustic ballad that would seem to be a direct tune for the radio. With the melody of a Lindsay Buckingham composition, this track is mellow and tight with a nice melodic guitar solo. Wrapping the release is Boomerang, a strong rocker with a driving beat and ripping guitar lead. This is likely my favorite track on the release with it's strong British rock styling, no holds barred guitar style and excellent drum beat.  

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FMI Records artist: Dave Fields - Force of Will - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Force of Will, from Dave Fields and it's quite good. Opening with modern boogie, I Love My Baby, multi instrumentalist Fields on vocal and guitar (among other things) is joined by Bill Ferns on harp. A solid melody and rhythm and always tight vocals make this opener a natural radio track. Big Block is a hard driving blues rocker with tight drum beat by Van Romaine and metal influenced blues guitar riffs that will curl your hair. Very cool. Hunger is a bit more of an abstract rocker with a solid foundation and Jeff Beck influenced guitar riffs with Buddy Allen on bass and Lee Jeffryes on drums. Very nice. Straightforward blues ballad, Why Can't You Ever Treat Me Right is really strong with excellent modern blues soloing by Fields and excellent vocals. Joined by Bjorn Hagset on bass and Kare Andersen on drums, this is my favorite blues track on the release. Another solid blues ballad, It's Not Ok with Fields on lead vocal and and soaring guitar lead, demonstrates real crowd appeal while capturing the guitar crowd with low fretboard work and excellent dynamics. Chloe & Otis is a cool funky jazz based number based on a Steely Dan format. You like Becker and Fagen, you'll love this with Vlad Barsky on keys, Buddy Allen on bass, Kenny Soule on drums and Fields working lead vocal, guitar and keys. Very nice. You want wide open guitar work.... Delmar is it. Distortion, divebombs and tapping... excellent! Another track that really gets my attention is Jack Ham Her with an excellent bottom from Boyd and Romaine and just guitar instrumental. Fields could do an entire release of this style work for me and I'd be happy but I love the all out guitar exploration stuff. This is terrific! Wrapping the release is Best I Can, a radio rocker in the Free/Paul Rogers vein, with a solid melody and heavy bottom. Fields on lead vocal and keys over Soule on snappy drumming and tightly knit in guitar work makes this a strong 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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Dave Fields - Unleashed - New Release Review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Unleashed, from Dave Fields and it's over the top! I've had the opportunity to review a few of Dave Fields' releases and each one gets progressively more aggressive and wild... and that's good. Opening with Anticipating You, Fields is surrounded with a great crew of musicians including Kenny Soule on drums, Erik Boyd on bass, Vladimir Barsky on keys and Doug Hinrichs on percussion. This is a super rolling jazz number and one that really showcases Boyds' bass style and Fields fluidity on outrageous riffs. Excellent opener. On Don Nix's Going Down Fields, Sam Bryant on drums and Andy Huenerberg on bass crack open Jeff Beck's mix on this track and wind it up. Throwing every guitar riff know to man at it, this track kicks ass in contemporary style. My Mama's Got The Blues has a cool swagger and cutting guitar riffs under the lead vocal and melody. Backed by Boyd on bass and JT Lauritsen on harp, Fields pulls out his slide and scorches it. The Boy Wants To Play is a cool Jeff Beck like track with encouraging lyrics and smoking hot riffs. This track is constructed specifically to allow the showcase of Fields on guitar and it definitely does that. Very nice. Jagged Line is a cool rocker with a heavy bottom. Barsky's key work feels like Jon Lord or Rick Wakeman giving the track a rocky/progressive feel. With soaring guitar work and firm bass work by Chris Tristram, this track is heavy. With fully saturated guitar tones and a SRV swagger, Fields turns up the heat on Better Be Good. Blending and bending riffs with whammy bends and hammer ons, this track is a smokin rocker.  Pocket Full Of Dust heads head on down the slow blues highway with guns blazing. Fields does most everything that anyone can do on guitar and does it in his own way. Want to hear a modern day guitar slinger do his thing...this is it! Rolling into Hendrix territory, Fields airs out Hey Joe. Retaining enough Jimi phrasing to put it in your mind but showing enough originality to make it his own, this track has new life as opposed to a rehash of the same old thing. Fields has great chops and terrific technique. Very cool. New York City Nights is a light jazz fused radio track featuring Fields on lead vocal and bright jazzy guitar riffs. this is an ideal radio track that also retains instrumental integrity. Very nice. Wrapping the release is L.E. S. Hoedown. This is a hyperwarp guitar instrumental demonstrating Fields ultimate finger picking work. Chased by Boyd and Moore the entire way and featuring Barsky on keys, this track is an excellent closer.

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FMI Records artist: Dave Fields - All In - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (July 1, 2014), All In, from Dave Fields and it's quite strong. Opening with Changes In My Life, a blues shaped rocker, Fields,playing most all instruments lays out a pop blues rocker with a catchy feel and blues riffs blended with modern tapping techniques making for an interesting change of pace. Voodoo Eyes is up next with more of a ballad style but with a cool rhythm. Fields again steps up with some really nice guitar riffs and key work that nicely highlights the track. Let's Go Downtown has a really happy feel and pacing march rhythm not a lot unlike what you might expect from Wet Willie or Elvin Bishop. This is a cool track with strong blues guitar riffs. Yeah, he has a better voice than my pal Crabshaw, but I ain't holding that against him. Nice track. Dragon Fly takes a much more serious approach to the music with more of an orchestral arrangement, powerful bottom and soaring guitar. Cream's (Robert Johnson) Cross Road is up next with a totally different feel. The reason that I say Cream has more to do with it sounding like an interpretation of Cream's interpretation of Robert Johnson's Crossroad Blues. With a slower pace and a heavier attack, this track has new life and modern guitar pyrotechnics yet retains a bit of the rawness of Johnson's original. Wake Up Jasper is a straight up 12 bar number along the lines of Blind Willie McTell's Statesboro Blues. Fields has a nice voice that blends well with his musical style. Breaking into a R&B track midway through, this track is one of the coolest on the release with Jeff Beck like guitar sounds and a Wilson Pickett step. Excellent! A really cool twist is a funky take on Led Zep's Black Dog! Retaining a bit of Robert Plant's senseless groans and grunts might be the easiest tip off that it's the same track it's done so nicely, Led Zep fans will easily pick it out... but it is really a new track. Not retaining the flash and flair of Page's guitar work opting instead to do it "Texas Style" this is quite a cool track. Not Gonna Let You Get Away retains that southern blues funk with a pop edge. An "Eddie van Halen" like guitar solo breaks the funk but not in a bad way. This is a cool track which nicely blends not only musical styles but also guitar styles and nice vocal work. Got A Hold On Me slides into Ray Charles territory with a touch of Stevie Ray. A cool R&B rocker with modern guitar sounds really separates this track and Fields as a whole as someone who is trying to cut his own road. Nice job! That's All Right is a groove monster with a funky beat and killer guitar riffs. Again Fields is right on vocally making this one of the nicer tracks on the release. Wrapping the recording is Lover's Holiday, an easy, acoustic number primarily featuring Fields on acoustic guitar and vocals, light percussion and backing. This is a cool little track to complete what is certainly Fields finest outing to date.

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Keyesland Music artist: Dave Keyes - Right Here Right Now - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, , from Dave Keyes and it's a variety of good time, boogie, blues and R&B... I mean it's a literal party! Opening with Here She Comes Again, Keyes has a great band playing feel good blues music a la Elvin Bishop. This is such a great style blending horns and vocals featuring Keyes on vocal and keys, Frank Pagano on drums,Sue Williams on bass, Chris Eminizer on sax, Tim Ouimette on trumpet and Popa Chubby screaming away on guitars! You Think I Don't Know is a soul ballad remaining somewhat contained making it a prime radio track. Popa takes a few bars to add his personal signature to this track and it blends beautifully into the mix. Nothing Left To Lose has a bit of a Latin feel but with R&B style keys and vocals. With a little Louisiana piano roll keeping the track moving along, Eminizer and Ouimette add a great horn backing. Guitarist Dave Fields steps up for a flaming guitar solo on this track adding some additional spice to the gumbo. Shadow Boogie is a great piano rumble. You want to hear someone play traditional piano boogie without the modern added crap...here it is! Sit Right Here opens with a gospel style piano intro but develops quickly into a R&B infused Wet Willie style track again with Eminizer, Ouimette and Fields cooking the back as Keyes leads the way. Fields plays some outrageous slide work characteristically heard from the Lowell George camp. Excellent! A cool track, Who Stole The Baby Jesus features special guest Diane Cricchio on vocal duet with backing from Paul Smith, Jeanie Brower and Keshia Baldwin and a great sax solo from Eminizer. This track has such a great gospel vibe and delivery! Never Say Goodbye, the second ballad on the release features primarily Keyes on vocal and piano. Jeff Pevar takes a very warm resonator solo on this track adding substantial to an already supple cake. Now's My Time, a cool shuffle track features David J. keyes on bass, and Steve Rushton on drums while Keyes trades piano riffs with Popa Chubby on hot slide. Delta Queen has a rolling blues sound with a taste of early Allmans. Popa is back on guitars backed by George Naha on rhythm. Keyes vocals on this track are reminiscent of Jack Bruce. Wrapping the release is Wronged Man Blues, a lightly executed spiritual style track. Woody Mann plays guitar to Keyes piano in a very well balanced acoustic boogie. This is a release that you should definitely check out!  

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Although not on this release, this is a good representation of Keyes at work:

Field Of Roses artist: Dave Fields - Detonation - New Release Review

I just received the newest cd, Detonation, from Dave Fields. Fields has assembled 12 strong blues rock oriented tracks, all with a different twist from Reggae to straight Blues. The cd opens with Addicted To Your Fire, a a rocker with somewhat of an arena style. In The Night takes it to the next step with a funky beat and some pretty tasty guitar riffs. Doin' Hard Times opens with some fiery riffs and features Joe Louis Walker. This track has some more contemporary blues lines and features some real sweet guitar soloing. Bad Hair Day gets a real serious reggae beat and Fields really digs in for some hot riffs on this track. The Alter, again a more contemporary use of music with blues roots features some fiery guitar riffs. Better Be Good takes the blues from a swing jazz direction for a pretty cool track. Fields again shows he has the chops and can make is guitar talk big time. Pocket Full Of Dust hits dead center with an Albert King/Otis Rush/Big Mamma Thornton style blues track.This is my favorite track on the cd...and yeah... I caught that timing change not unlike BB King does on The Thrill Is Gone...very nice. Dr. Ron takes more of an Eric Gales / Trower/ Hendrix attack on a track and it's pretty cool. No question this guy can play. Lydia is an interesting track with guitar subtones and more of an interpretive progressive approach to music without losing it's rock edge. Actually very cool. The recording completes with You Will Remember Me, a Ryan Adams like ballad with crisp guitar riffs.

Overall Fields has put together a pretty interesting recording for those looking for guitar rock music with a bluesy edge.
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