Topic: Preview Todd Wolfe's New CD - On A1 Artist Spotlight
Listen On Demand
http://a1artistspotlight.com/2008/09/25 … owed-time/
Thu 25 Sep 2008
On October 14, 2008 Blue Leaf Records will release the new CD by Todd Wolfe, Borrowed Time. This will be Todd's fifth solo CD. However, this story starts back with the British Invasion and seeing The Beatles on The Ed Sullivan Show. The Beatles got Todd's interest in music going. When Cream and Hendrix come along that furthered Todd's interest in music. These new bands got Todd looking to the people that inspired them like Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and Buddy Guy. This also got Todd playing guitar and joining different bands. By the late eighties Todd started writing music with a yet unknown, Sheryl Crow. Both of them moved to California to try and get a record deal. Todd found himself working with Carla Olson, formally of the band the Textones (MTV video "Midnight Mission"). Carla had been working on a CD called Within An Ace along with former Rolling Stone guitarist Mick Taylor. There were some places for guitar to be added and Todd got the job. Todd was also working a part time job during the day, worked in a blues/rock trio at night, and did some soundtrack work for the Playboy channel. At this point Sheryl Crow puts out her first record and ask Todd to be in her touring band. For the next five years Todd traveled the world playing in Sheryl's band. In his off time he had his own band called Mojoson. Later after working with Sheryl he started a new band called The Todd Wolfe Blues Project which later was called Todd Wolfe. So here we are on the eve of the release of the fifth CD by Todd Wolfe, Borrowed Time.
Todd Wolfe and Leslie West jammin with their SGs
Borrowed Time starts off with the rocker "Tears Of Rage". Todd has had this song in the concert lineup for years now. This will be your first time to hear this great rocker on a record. Todd said "Ready For Love" was just an excuse for writing a funky riff. The lyrics were rewritten in the car on the way to the studio. "Cold Black Night" is a great blues/rock song, very much in the style of something Led Zeppelin would have done. It is strong in the rhythm section with a lot of room for Todd to play lead all over the place. The song clocks in at 5:40 but I always have to play it twice. Let's hope live they jam on this song for a long time. This one song is well worth getting the CD for. You will see what I mean when you listen to the podcast. Following "Cold Black Night" you'd think it would be impossible to come up with something good, but Todd does. You may even remember "Baby I'm Down" from the 1969 Mountain/Leslie West record. Very nice song with good guitar work, Leslie West even joins in on the song. "You're Not The Only One" has nice slide guitar and the vocals for better or worse remind me of Eric Clapton. In the end, the song is just a little to slow for me. "California" is kind of an Eagles like song that Todd recorded with Mojoson. Todd wrote this and Sheryl Crow wrote the middle part of the lyrics. Susan Cowsill sings on part of this song with Todd. "Oh Well" is of course the famous Peter Green song (Fleetwood Mac). Nothing is really new here but like always it's nice to hear, and he does a good job of it. Next is the Howlin' Wolf song "Who's Been Talking". The first time I heard this it sounded like a new version of "Black Magic Woman", the Santana version with new lyrics . This is well done, very beautiful with wonderful guitar work, nice vocals. I was surprised to find out this was a Howlin' Wolf song. For me this is far better than the version I have on the 1970 London Howlin' Wolf Sessions. If you're like me and you loved Santana's version of "Black Magic Woman" but just tired of hearing it so many times check out Todd Wolfe's version of "Who's Been Talking". It has some real similarities to the Santana song but course it's a different song. Great song you will love it. Speaking of love it, wait till you hear "If This Is Love" in the podcast. Not only is this a wonderful blues song, Mary Hawkins sings this and steals the show. Very powerful and dynamic sounding, Todd does some beautiful guitar work on it too. "Big Nose Kate (Borrowed Time)" is a fun romping rocker that lets the CD end on a high note. Actually the last three songs "Oh Well", "Who's Been Talking" and "If This Is Love" are all on a high note. While this is not a straight blues CD there is plenty of it there for most people, along with some rock and a ballad. After listening to the podcast be sure to go by Todd Wolfe's website and order this CD.
Sheryl Crow Band 1994 • Tad, Sheryl Todd, (on top) Wally & Scott
Songs in the podcast:
1 Tears Of Rage
2 Ready For Love
3 If This Is Love
4 Cold Black Night
Todd Wolfe Website
Buy CD's from Todd's Website
Todd Wolfe MySpace page
Buy CD's from Todd's Record Label
Blues Leaf Records