Hokahey Records artist: Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip - After The Flood - New Release Review

I just received the most recent release, After The Flood, from Micke Bjorklof & Blue Strip and it rocks. Opening with House For The Blues, a blues rocker, Vocalist Bjorklof and guitarist Lefty Leppanen set a strong pace backed by Teemu Vuorela on drums, Seppo Nuolikoski on bass and Timo Ruiko-Jukela on percussion. On Jack The Black Hat, the band takes a more expansive journey with heavier vocals, distorted guitars and free wheelin guitar work. Cool! Water From Your Shoe is a solid R&B style pop track with a taste of New Orleans featuring super cool piano work from Brian Coogan. Woogie Or Die is an interesting boogie track with a cool bass line. Soaring slide guitar work from Lefty give this track a sharp edge and Bjorklof's vocals with his edgy harp playing adds to the edge. Understanding opens with a slip sliding guitar part and a Latin influenced drum part. Having the flavor of a traditional western theme song with a twist, and backing vocals by Michaela Harrison and Alexis Marceaux, this is one of my favorite tracks on the release. King Alcohol is a melancholy track with bluesy overtones and subtle instrumental accompaniment, especially tasty guitar riffs. Sometimes is a boogie with a different kind of walking of bass line. A cool rocker, Bjorklof does some of his best vocal work here, complimented by Coogan on Hammond, and a solid rocker is the result. Gumbo Mama has a nice funky march beat and spirited vocals with punctuated vocal backing. Lefty lays on the wah wah adding a cool guitar texture and a little smoke to the funk. Really nice! Jezebel has a cocky strut and Bjorklof really hits it square on vocals on this track. Lefty grinds out some of the best guitar work on the release on this track. Very nice! Ramblified falls back to a delta style with rudimentary raw vocals and primitive National Steel guitar riffs. Cool! After The Flood is a smooth Latin influenced rocker with a lot of polish. Percussion by Ruiko-Jukela, nice guitar riffs by lefty and warm vocal backing by Harrison and Marceaux. A solid radio track with a solid melody. Wrapping the release is Open Up Open, a bluesy ballad with an ethereal guitar vamp in the background. Nicely blended backing vocals add substantially to the overall effect of this track but overall, Lefty really shines on this track making it his best showcase.

  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”

 

Hokahey Records artists: Micke & Lefty Featuring Chef - Up The Wall - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, Up The Wall, by Micke & Lefty (Featuring Chef). Opening with acoustic ballad, You Better Me, Micke Björklöf on vocals, drums&percussion, harmonica, guitar, Lefty Leppänen on vocals, acoustic- and national steel guitar and Chef on vocals and bass sing in incredibly sweet harmony. I'm A Guitar Man is an acoustic track featuring alternating vocal leads and hard driving Texas style boogie. Lead resonator guitar soloing by Lefty is quick and clean. Up The Wall has a simple country blues feel with cool guitar and harp riffs under vocal lead by Micke, and clean bass and drums. Clean Up opens with a cool slide riff and had a early sixties rockabilly feel. Slick slide work throughout and clever vocal backing make this one of toe coolest tracks yet. Come Here Pretty Baby again showcases cool vocal harmonies and clever guitar finger work. Ultimate All Around Man has a bit of a Cajun feel with a light march beat from Micke. With it's light springy feel and Lefty's cool resonator work and lead vocals make this a radio likely favorite. Good Friend has the feel of a contemporary "old style" country blues. Nice acoustic 12 string by lefty and harp work by Micke highlight this track. Busy really has a fast paced rhythm with train like rhythm and slick country infused blues guitar riffs. Very nice! Attention again rubs up against the rockabilly fence with rim shots and vocal harmonies. Nicely coordinated guitar and harp lead gives this track additional spunk. You Know has a really nice bass opening by Chef. With a general feel of St James Infirmary, this is a cool dramatic track with nice vocal harmonies, a willowy harp solo from Micke and spatial pedal steel work from Lefty. Good Ol' Train has a real country flavor with soft country vocals and featuring a really sweet guitar solo from Lefty. Pablo Grolin also adds a cool organ part throughout. Tony Joe White's Poke Salad Annie gets a more Latin feel but maintaining an acoustic sympathy and slide guitar overdrive. Nice take on a classic track. Wrapping the track is Don't Take It So Hard, a melodic ballad. Again strong vocal harmonies highlighted by Lefty on guitar, banjo and mandolin define this track. A full bluegrass breakdown provides a fitting close for an interesting 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”