Vizztone Label Group artist: Skyla Burrell Band - Blues Scars - New Release Review

I just received the newest release (10/7/14), Blues Scars, from the Skyla Burrell Band and it rocks! Opening with title track, Blues Scars, is a funky rocker with a stinging guitar attack. Burrell handles the lead vocals and shares guitar work with co founding guitarist Mark Tomlinson, and strongly supported by Ezell Jones Jr. on drums and Michelle Lucas on bass. Bluesin' For Your Lovin', a nice Texas style blues rock slams back the door and Burrell's vocals very soulful. Rocker Trouble has a bunch of snap. With it's twisting/surf styling, this is a cool rocker with bright guitar riffs. Stuck In A Struggle is a lighter pop rock track but Burrell's unique vocal style gives it teeth. With it's driving beat, this is a cool radio track. Somber ballad, Love Letters In Blue, has some nicely stylized guitar work and crisp drumming from Jones supporting the vocal work of Burrell. Livin' For The Blues is a modern blues shuffle with a cool bass line from Lucas and nice slide work chasing Burrell's sultry vocals. Shut You Down is strongly rhythmic reinforced by Jones and Burrell steps up first on guitar followed closely by Tomlinson. On Life Storms,a boogie track, Burrell pushes her vocal styling and lays down a few cool guitar riffs. One of my favorite tracks, World Wide Blues has a cool Latin beat and chilly blues chords reminiscent of All Your Love (Otis Rush). Burrell steps up with some of the tastiest guitar riffs on the release nicely complimenting her super vocal delivery. Full Time Gambler is a blend of blues styles from Texas to Britain. With it's easy lope and slippery slide this is a cool track. Jace is another of my favorite tracks with a bit of an R&B feel. Burrell uses a light touch with her vocals and an easy going San Francisco style blues style solo, this track hits the spot. Juke Jointin' Tonight is a hot swinger (think Rocket 88) and a nice highlight for Burrell's vocals. Her guitar style works nicely with this tempo and Jones rides it tight. Tomlinson also steps up with a hot solo of his own pushed by Lucas with her walking bass. Very nice. 6 Mile Century Blues has a strong Big Brother styling which I really like. What I really like about it is that the band sounds like what Big Brother sounds like instrumentally with trem bends and arpegiated chords and driving drums but without a bad imitation of Janis Joplin. Really quite nice! 21st Century Blues is a straight up blues rocker right out of Albert King or Otis Rush's song book. With it's straight forward attack and juicy guitar work this release continues to build steam. Wrapping the release is Bad Business, a hard driving blues rocker pushed along by Lucas and with a cool rock n roll rhythm lead. Burrell and Tomlinson both take hot and nasty solos on the track and Jones is on top of it all keeping it tight.

  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”

 

Skyla Burrell Band

The Skyla Burrell Band is a full time, hardworking traveling blues band and 2012 Blues Hall of Fame Inductee. With co-founder Mark Tomlinson on lead guitar and Skyla Burrell on vocals/lead guitar, the band's live show consists of all original high energy electric blues. The band released their debut studio CD, "Working Girl Blues" in 2004, containing 12 original songs. Several of the cuts topped the charts on independent music websites and internet radio stations and received local, national and international airplay on blues and mainstream radio. "Working Girl Blues" was selected by WTMD 93.7 as one of the top 5 blues releases in 2004 and Mark Tomlinson received an Honorable Mention for his track "Bad Dream" in the 14th Annual Billboard Songwriting Contest. In 2005 the band was a semi-finalist in the 22nd Annual International Blues Challenge. In 2006 the band recorded and toured in Europe, and released their sophomore effort, "Livin' Day to Day" which again received local, national and international air play on mainstream and blues radio and was featured on cable television's Rockin' Cookin' Kitchen show as well as being named one of the top 50 blues CD's released worldwide by Delta Art and one of top 10 Blues CD's by WTMD FM. The band played 240 shows in 2006 and secured the #1 Top Booked Band slot on Sonicbids. The band keept up their busy schedule (between 2006 and 2007 playing a total of 465 shows) and expanding their tour radius to include the Mid-West and New England and in the late summer shot of 2007 filmed a live DVD with the Digital Cafe Tour in NYC at the Baggott Inn. In the fall the band went back into the studio to begin work on their 3rd studio CD. In 2008 the Skyla Burrell Band signed with Blues Boys & Divas Talent and released their third CD of all original material, "Tough Luck" . Cuts off of "Tough Luck" received airplay on over 150 blues stations in the US and abroad. In 2009 the band kept up their busy touring schedule covering the Mid-West, South-East and North-East regions of the US all the while writing tunes for a new studio CD. The band sold a track from "Tough Luck" to the producers of the CBS/CBC drama "The Bridge, which aired over the spring in Canada and was the #1 rated drama, and made its US debut in the late summer. Skyla traveled to Toronto to record vocals for 4 cover tunes which were also featured on the show. The band also filmed a commercial for the Lazy Dog Cafe and a segment for the "The Straight Ahead Guitar Show." The band kept up their hard working schedule of touring and started work on writing tunes for their next CD in 2010. "Real Love" the band's 4th studio CD was released in the early Fall of 2011 containing 14 new original tracks and saw the band touring extensively and working hard. With 2012 came more tours up and down the East Coast and recognition within the Blues Industry with an induction into the Blues Hall of Fame representing Pennsylvania. 2013 brings with it a new studio CD set for release in the summer and a busy year of touring with several high profile Festivals already booked including the Bonita Blues Festival, The Western Maryland Blues Fest, The Winchester Blues House Festival and the Daytona Blues Festival. 


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 favorite band!