GARY CLARK,JR.

The second disc, Time For The Blues,
is outstanding. S’Aida’s “Geechee
Woman,” which adds Kennedy’s harmonica,
is a loose-limbed strut, more funk than
swamp. Sounding like Shemekia on a New
Orleans sabbatical, “Bad Girl” steps out
with a second line framework tailor made
for a hanky waving street parade. Despite
its title, “Blues Dancin’,” featuring Wayne’s
piano, is a slow grind, more for laying back
and wallowing in the groove. When S’Aida
finally comes in after a long instrumental
intro, her sultry vocal makes it obvious that
the dancing she’s referring to is of the horizontal
variety.
It’d be great to see S’Aida belting out
this stuff in a smoky, ramshackle joint back
in the woods. It’d be even better for her to
record her next release in a joint like that, or
at least not try to swing for the fence every
time with her vocals and just let the bluesy
funk she hints at here have its way with her
and us.
– Grant Britt
SPOONFUL OF BLUES
Sinners
Bluestown
Have a listen to Sinners, the new release
from Norway’s Spoonful Of Blues, and there
is a good chance that your first thought may
well be “I wish I could have been at that
recording session.” The album rocks from
start to finish and if the musicians didn’t
have the best time making this record then
they must be very difficult to please.
Sinners doesn’t ease its way gently in.
Opener “Down By The River” kicks off with
a dirty metal riff and gives a great idea of
what would have happened had Billy Gibbons
been lead guitarist in British R&B stalwarts
Dr. Feelgood. The band then get
funky on the single chorder “The Death Of
Robert Johnson” before “Make You
Happy,” a mournful country song that
would not be out of place on a John
Lennon or Rolling Stones album, briefly
slows the pace.
Earlier Spoonful Of Blues releases
were heavily influenced by the North Mississippi
blues of the likes of R.L. Burnside
and Junior Kimbrough and guest appearances
here by Kenny Brown and Sharde
Thomas and Bill Turner from The Rising
Star Fife & Drum Band show that this is still
the band’s natural territory. “Throw Me A
Line” and “I Heard My Baby” have their
roots firmly in the Hill Country as does “The
Land Where The Blues Began,” the album’s
standout track. A “Goin’ Down South” influenced
riff sets the scene before Jostein
Forsberg’s menacing vocals pay homage
to the myths of Mississippi bluesmen, while
Rita Engedalen builds the intensity with her
wailing and moaning. Superb stuff.
Elsewhere on the album “We Were
Rocking” and “Delta Porch” are straightforward
house rockers, Eden Brent adding
piano to the latter. “Think It Over” is classic
AOR, and “Can’t Get You Off My Mind”
sees the band moving to Africa rather than
Mississippi for its influence.
Forsberg, guitarist Morten Omlid,
drummer Eskil Aasland, and ex-Eddie Martin
Band bassist Tony Caddle have recorded
their best album to date. A single lyric from
this album says all you need to know about
this hugely enjoyable release: “There’s a
rocking party on the Delta Porch.” This is a
party you don’t want to miss.
– Chris Kerslake
BLUES REVUE 63