Rezonate Records artist: Low Society - Sanctified - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Sanctified, from Low Society and it's solid. Opening with John Prine's Angel From Montgomery, vocalist Mandy Lemons takes front and center, filling the room with her powerful voice. Backed by Sturgis Nikides on guitars, Jacky Verstraeten on bass, Bart De Bruecker on drums and Rick Steff on keys this is a great opener. On Raccoon Song, an interesting mix of blues and punk (think Pixies) Lemons works the crowd and Nikides lays in some real cool slide work. Bluesy, The Freeze, has the atmospheric qualities of Pink Floyd and the blues feel of Savoy Brown with tasty guitar riffs. Very nice. Nina is a real interesting rock ballad with tastes of CSN, Grace Slick and Joe Walsh with Will Danger on drums. Interesting composition using acoustic guitar, slide and nicely blended vocals. All out rocker, Drowning Blues, has a great driving bass line, nice slide guitar work and cool swagger giving it a great chance for cross radio play. New Orleans style, Here Comes The Flood has a great drum line by De Bruecker and sassy vocals by Lemons. Nikides slide work adds real spice to an already spicy track and nice keyboard and accordion work by Steff give the track the icing. Wrapping the release is classic soul track, I'd Rather Go Blind. Lemons digs deep for her emotional delivery and the warm organ work by Steff grounds the track even more. A very nice closer for a solid release.

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Icehouse Records artists: Low Society - You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down - New Release Review

I just received the newest release, You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down, from Low Society and it has edge. Opening with Blues Rocker Crammed & Jammed, vocalist Mandy Lemons is riding high on the slide work of Sturgis Nikides, supported by Mike Munn on drums and Nick Dodson on bass. Voodoo Woman again features the master slide work of Nikides with a style not a lot dissimilar to Rod Price. Lemons has the ferociousness of Pearl but her own style. Rick Steff adds a cool organ line and Dr. Herman Green some cool sax. Need Yer Love has an unusual euro sounding construction making it really stand out. With it's calliope feel and Nikides on slide, Lemons lays down some of her bluesiest vocals. Son House Says has a smooth jazzy feel but almost like a twist on "Sumertime". Keywork from Steff helps the shape the track but this is really all about Lemons. A funky twist midway led by Dodson and Muss adds texture and Nikides slides in with a cool solo as well. Title track, You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down, has a very cool boogie rhythm led by a solid bass line from Dodson. Nikides takes a slick ride on the slide on this track making it one that is most likely to end up on the radio. Very cool! Possibly my favorite track on the release, This Heart Of Mine is a slow ballad with heavy blues overtones. Building intensity throughout the track, Nikides and Lemons really hit it on the head. Excellent! Up In Your Grave has a country gospel feel with a bit of pickin and a two step rhythm. Let Me Ride has a deep south spiritual feel with Lemons coming on strong. Slide work from Nikides and light piano work from John Shaw gives it a bluesy feel. No Money Down is a ballad with a western feel. Perfect rhythm from Munn on drums makes this effect particularly clear along with steel work from Nikides. You Got A Right is a rolling blues track with an easy R&B feel (Think I'm Tore Down). Nice guitar work from Nikides adds to the rolling momentum overall. El Diablo is a fairly contemporary ballad featuring the lead vocal of Lemons but with a cool acoustic guitar riff from Nikides. Wrapping the release is Should've Known Better, a solid Texas style blues track. A solid sax solo from Dr. Green and a few cool riffs from Nikides top it off.

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Low Society Performance Update

Talking with Sturgis Nikides of Low Society. Here's what he had to say:

We are very busy little beavers here in the LS camp. We've been keeping our noses to the grindstone, in rehearsals preparing to begin national touring. This week (Oct 23 - 29) we are being featured on the nationally syndicated Blues Deluxe radio hour - syndicated to 200 stations worldwide. In the meantime, we do have a couple of appearances coming up locally too. Nov. 7 @ Delancey Bar, NYC - Nov. 11 Veterans Day Benefit/Motorcycle Run for Rolling Thunder MC at Woody's Roadside Tavern in Farmingdale NJ (with Slackjaw Blues Band) - Dec. 10 - at Dock Street Bar on Staten Island.
Here's a performance from Washinton's Festival in the Borough earlier this month:

LOW SOCIETY - SCREAMING BLUES - Mike Packer correspondent

"Low Society" is guitarist Sturgis Nikides who did some time as sideman with John Cale of the legendary Velvet Underground.and Texas vocal slinger Miss Mandy Lemons who reminds me of another Texas blues belter Lou Ann Barton who sang with the late Stevie Ray Vaughn. Mandy Lemons is a powerhouse and Low Society presents an exciting, raw, in your face style of american blues.

Their new CD "High Time": is a fine example of modern day blues played by a kat (Sturgis Nikides) who studied the genious of Charlie Patton and applied it to his music. Sturgis can play the blues as shown in the incredible originaL track "Dead Man's Shoes": In all honesty there isn't a bad cut on this album but "Texas Goodnight" is one that really stands out from the rest. It is pure poetry with lyrics like "from Houston (a city in Texas) to Houston (a street in NYC pronounced Howston). It is just a cool song.

Low Society are based in New York City and have some shows coming up in October. So if your in the New York area make it a point to check them out. They are a fun listen and not your typical 1-4-5 blues band.

Oct. 1 - Delancy Bar - NYC
Oct. 2. Washington New Jersey (Festival in the Bouroughs/blues stage)
Oct. 7 Hank's Saloon - Brooklyn
Oct. 15 Desmonds - NYC