Forgive my typos please, excitable boyish man here...
Ok folks, it's just around the bend now. Order up if you haven't yet. Both iTunes and the pysical CD! You are going to want to buy this and spread the word. The music world has a drought reprieve and this may start a fire! Yeah it's an oxymoronic conundrum, but it beats world affairs out for interest as a descriptor.
Ball Peen Hammer hits more like a 20 lb. forged head sledgehammer. And it’s so…angry, that’s why the guitar that Mr. Watson’s (Modern Guitars’ Tom Watson) ears elementarily dismissed (was there a guitar solo?-answer HELL YEAH!) is SNARLING swiping, cutting, might a cut your ears off matey, but oh yeah it’s short (20 seconds). It also doesn’t just carry the song forward, it drops it right on your toes! The Zeppelin “mystique”sound emulating somewhat When the Levee Breaks (see general topics>>Ball Peen Hammer Review comments) once again, although in this case though not as preeminent as it was back on Had To Cry Today’s The River. Since Joe’s doesn’t want to be remembered as the guy who sounded like so and so, let’s get those so & so’s out there: Jimmy Page Robert Johnson Eric Clapton Sonny Boy Williamson I and II (yes the harp players!) J. B. Hutto Jeff Beck Peter Green Buddy Guy Carlos Santana Django Rheinhart BB King Billy Gibbons Ry Cooder Lignin’ Hopkins Alvin Lee John McLaughlin Robben Ford Albert King George Harrison Freddie King Robert Cray Duane Allman Les Paul Lonnie Brooks Stevie Ray Vaughn Ron Wood Blind Lemon Jefferson Eric Johnson & some others, hey I need to breathe (Vivaldi?), but not Esteban (blessing). I’m not worrying about that discovery of the Joe Bonamassa one original lick influenced by no one. No way Joe, hey!
One Of These Days
Very Ten Years After like with a busting rocks on the chain gang beginning, missing my love and everything gonna be alright , just gotta bide my time and survive to get there. The thought keeps the blues from going indigo. Strolls off into the evening sun sweating with an Allman Brothers / Layla outro lullaby at the end of a long hot day.
Seagull
Takes off like sounding very ordinary like, there’s that “Norwegian Wood” feel that a sitar would make more pronounced , and it’s interspersed (and diced up a little differently) a few other places in the album (hmmm wonder where in the world music sounds “eastern”). There’s an indefinite line where producer Shirley and executive producer Bonamassa and the supporting band make this tune into what it SHOULD’VE BEEN BY BAD COMPANY! Paul Rodgers had that hypnotic silky smooth lovely rendition that I actually couldn’t stand after hearing the rest of the debut album songs (until later in life), but this SONG tears the original to pieces. Sorry Bad Company, congratulations Joe & Co.!
Dirt In My Pockets
Man Joe is singing about the blues man! Those low down dirty blues, Sloe Gin certifies the blues. If these two songs aren’t depressing you a little, those nightly news pharmaceutical advertisements must really work. The former is hard hard rock bluestinging and the latter is too down to drink broke busted empty blues feeling. Man this is getting painful.
Since I’m already there on “sounds like”, Another Kind of Love
Does have those little Peter Green tickles.. Like his fingertips will get too hot if he doesn’t do a staccato vibrato that melds one onto another on the notes, like chain gang that can all walk separately but don’t get far if they all don’t move in their proper step. Then there’s the Buddy Guy way out of there cool as cool gets what’s coming next feel. Very Exciting!
Around The Bend
I cannot agree with Joe’s self hatred of the earlier version off Had To Cry Today, but it certainly is better without drums and stripped down yet fleshed out it is very very nice. Enduring, if Joe found the first forgettable / regrettable. People should sing these lyrics at shows to show the Dave Matthews John Mayer, and Tom Petty crowds (been a part myself) these songs are what you’re missing. You all know your homework.
Black Night
Pure black blues, deep dark depression, excessive misery. Charles Brown and his kind brought so many of the copped songs, licks, and lyrics of recent versions…”Sittin’ here rocking, tryin’ to rock my blues away”…Rocket88 (hmmm), etc. Guys like he & Louis Jordan made so much likable today. Trace many singers and players back thatta way.
Jelly Roll
This is a blues neo-standard that might be Lonnie Johnson’s old song, although Otis Spann as well as John Martyn did it too, John as Easy Blues. Don’t matter, because Joe takes off like a Lightning Hopkins 331/3 playing at 78 rpm (Leon Redbone took it down to 16 rpm’s and New Orlins’ed it up) , Joe's voice bypassing Lightning's deep resonance to a more nasal rendition, but still, true blue blues. Look out for this one! Live it’ll be a killer. Sing It!
Richmond
I wish, I was in…Memphis…somehow my mind wants to sing that…but Joe relates to HIS fond memories, so , go Joe. Once more, getting repetitive, blues. Can you hear the Rod Stewart mixing of several songs “feel” -Gasoline Alley, Love Lives Here, , Mandolin Wind, the guitar lead in from You Wear It Well, etc. This song showcases more than Joe’s soulful vocals, it’s the whole real deal package wrapped Christmas present. The whole album showcases everyone’s amazing talents. Yeah yeah Kevin Shirley but toot that horn a tad quieter…If the live CD/ hopeful DVD (better be) is in Paradiso, my lips will blow…Rick Melick stands out, by…not standing out yet his contributions are absolutely of the highest order. I usually like tossing keyboards, but these are essential. A HUGE part of why this “bettered You & Me”. He deserves a live rendition of….. “Going Down” perhaps to show off, eh? Think about it.
India
If Bela Fleck can play jazz fusions on a banjo, perhaps Joe can take up some exotic instruments and takes these blues across many blue oceans to may lands? Diplomatic blues? Right On!
Heck this isn’t a blues album! This is a “blues deluxe" album moreso than the namesake album by Joe. That was traditional style. This is mentored style blues perhaps, but it’s also the most original blues album of the young century / millennium. Are these Joe’s dark thoughts? The brink of jaded has been perilously close when you package the blues in Christmas wrapping paper. This album is indeed a gift to the musically thirsty! Not the same old sheit (old hippy types remember the poster?)!!! A better way of those crappy feelings, creeping away somehow, indeed! This is art, wake up everybody else!
Rock On & Keep the Faith, Spread the Good News!
Rocket
"He still doesn't charge for mistakes!
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http://jbonamassa.com/tour-dates/"Everybody wants ta get inta the act!"
“Now, this isn’t your ordinary party crowd, here. I mean, there are professionals in here.”
