Jake Chisholm - No More Sorrow - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, No More Sorrow, from Jake Chisholm and it's super! I reviewed Chisholm's earlier release, Diamond In A Coalmine and this is a great followup showing a nice maturation. Opening with the title track, No More Sorrow, Chisholm, backed by Sly Juhas on drums and Chris Banks on bass show just how funky and stripped down blues can be. With a super driving bass line and tight drums, Chisholm riffs off on his guitar with fluid runs and double stops showing that Dan Auerbach isn't the only north easterner who knows how to make a great 3 piece band so good it stops you in your tracks. Excellent opener! I'm On Fire, is a blues based rock and roller in the vein of Jerry Lee Lewis. With rockabilly style guitar soloing and loose echo fused vocals, Chisholm exhibits a modern twist on early rock. Very cool! Weigh You Down is a real cool progressive blues rocker with threads of Robin Trower, the Black Keys and Govt Mule but with fresh air. Paul Reddick adds a cool harmonica track on this one giving it more texture. Is There Another Man has a real cool primitive approach on blues rock with tidy guitar riffs played over rock solid bottom. Merry-Go-Round has a catchy melody but loose instrumentation giving it a good opportunity for cross air lay. I like the bass lead (Jameson Elliot)/ guitar answer interplay on this track. R&B based, Just Because You Want To, is a very strong track with an almost Gregg Allman writing style. It's warm instrumentation, solid vocals and a Hendrix run, make it a commercially strong track as well. Swamp Stomp finds Chisholm on guitar and mandolin with an almost acoustic Led Zeppelin sound. I'm Still Alone has a slinky, funky feel with chord driven riffs and a solid bass bottom. This track is a bit more adventurous with a strong guitar led, solo interlude. I Want You The Way You Are is back to the stripped down blues rock style and shows just how good this band is at minimization on a basic theme. This is a real cool track with well phrased vocals and rudimentary guitar work just hammering away. Chisholm breaks out a nicely distorted solo on this track complimenting the overall style and reinforcing its solidity. Very cool! Wrapping the release is You Never Will, a nicely executed blues track with raw edges and strong bones. This is a really super closer and one that leaves you wanting more. Nicely done!

  

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Diamond In A Coalmine - Jake Chisholm - New Release Review

I just received the new release, Diamond In A Coalmine, from Jake Chisholm and I really like it. Chisholm is on of the few younger guys who are embracing the basic rudiments of rock and blues creating a raw but cohesive music. Opening with I'm Gonna Let You Be, a strong mix of blue, rock and rhythm, you can hear Led Zep and Robert Johnson. Powerful drumming by Sly Juhas, ripe guitar riffs and a strong hook allow Chisholm to do his lead vocals in a rustic distorted fashion. Very nice. Let's Do It Again with a driving bass bottom by Chris Banks with early ZZ Top flavored slide work this is another cool track. Robert Johnson's Traveling Riverside Blues is up next with a fresh look. It keeps a lot of the original raw edge but with an updated feel and primitive sounding guitar riffs played forward in the mix. My guess is you'll hear comparisons drawn between Chisholm and other like minded artists such as Stripes and Keys. The music is born of the same mother but the children all all different. Don't Take It So Hard has a bit more of a rock beat and the track is really dominated by Chisholm's vocals and really stripped down instrumentals. This is another really cool track... but they all are! Blood Red Sun has a real drive to it with Chisholm balancing his vocals against the guitar and allowing the drums to take a solid lead. Only using the instruments as a road map and allowing the music to breathe is a tough task and one well accomplished here. The Young Rascal's You Better Run has a bit more structure almost brought up to a minimal Paul Rogers track. This track keeps with the primitive nature of the recording altogether but with more instrumental support. Chisholm plays a more rocky solo on this track and uses his guitar on rhythm very effectively. Diamond In A Coalmine is the strongest track on the release having a solid R&B structure. This track, with strong vocal orientation, a sweet melody and super guitar solo is bound for airplay and will also likely appeal to blues lovers. That's All They Can See takes a rhythmic hint from Purple Haze but the over the top pyrotechnics are missing, instead replaced by raw sound and enthusiasm. Chisholm plays some simple yet dynamic guitar riffs on this track making it another track which could garner strong air support. A very cool track. The final track, When Love Goes Wrong is a very strongly constructed track with lush Jimi like chords. The vocals are simple and straight forward and the most conventional blues ballad style guitar solo is included. This is a really smart track and a great wrap up for a very strong outing!

  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”