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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
When Bluebird Reviews heard that somebody of the talent of Bedwyr Morgan was finally releasing his first solo material after almost 30 years spent On The Road with the iconic Welsh band MOjO, there was a lot of curiosity and excitement about it.
Morgan is an artist that, throughout the years, has always shown signs of great craftmanship, either from a songwriting point of view and as a singer and a guitarist too. His first self-titled solo effort is a mini EP containing 4 original tracks, 3 of which sang in Welsh language, the same tracks sang also in English version, plus a truly beautiful instrumental for a grand total of 7 songs.
The Welsh artist, despite the short length of the album, shows in full his potential through a blend of soft-rock that carries echoes of traditional Celtic music and the sound of 80's America's West Coast. The opener Ti Yw'r un (You Are The One) is an excellently crafted radio-friendly tune, on which Morgan skillfully builds great choruses to support a melody that could easily come out from the songbook of artists of the level of Chris Rea, just to make an example.
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Whenever you get to hear a band like the Belgian collective The Bluesbones, even though you are not a blues or a blues/rock fan, you cannot avoid to fall in love with their music recipe. Following their self-released 2015 studio album Saved By The Blues, the Belgian quintet returns with their second live album, simply called Double Live, recorded in front of an audience in Mechelen, Belgium at the Hyperstudio.
For any artists, performing on a stage is certainly the most congenial element to express their art and The Bluesbones, on their new release, manage successfully to crack a fabulous live set, full of musical fireworks.
What amazes the most, about The Bluesbones and their style, is the capacity of incorporating many different music genres in only one track and still making that track to sound like you are listening to a blues song but with one or many twists. The way they dazzle effortlessly in this live album, adding to their blues roots the sound of the Mississippi Delta (Moonshine), the 50's Rockabilly (Riding Out), Funk (Broken Down Car, No Good For Me) or Jazz-Rock (Devil's Bride) is truly remarkable.
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
When it comes to create new musical emispheres, very few artists in the world are capable to do a better job then Gov't Mule. Back few years ago, while Warren Haynes, guitarist extraordinaire and Mule's frontman was digging into the vast music archive of the band, he stumbled by accident into the first ever demo sessions recorded by himself, Allen Woody on bass and Matt Abts on drums at The Tel-Star Studios back in June 1994 during the band's early days.
Haynes thought that the sessions recorded back then sounded so fresh and contemporary and that it was finally the time to release them to the world. A very smart decision from the Mule's main man.
The 10 tracks included in the Tel-Star Sessions offer so many interesting aspects about the way that the Gov't Mule have evolved sonically, through the years. There are so many different influences in the sound of the band, influences that vary from a 90's rock, almost grung-esque style, noticeable in a song like World Of Difference or the catchy Blind Man In The Dark to more blues-rock territories very close to the heart of the Mule's sound, like in the song Rocking Horse.
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
The history of rock and roll has been re-written thousand times, each times in a different way. Some artists succeed in the attempt to disassemble and re-build the genre through their own personal visions, some others fail miserably.
Thankfully, there is also who does not need to re-write a rock and roll history book, like the Canadian power trio The Paul DesLauriers Band, because they know exactly all about the genre by heart very well and understand that the secret in playing real rock and roll has always been and always will be instinct, immediacy and, most of all, bags of talent.
Through their second album called Relentless, the band steps up definitely in their music formula by delivering, through 10 superb tracks, an authentic and complete music vernacular that goes from the genesis of rock and roll (blues) to the evolution of the genre (roots and funk).
Individually, each musician is in a class of their own. Paul DesLauriers is a true virtuoso, when it comes to play guitar and he is also an excellent singer. Greg Morency on bass dazzles the listeners with such flawless fluidity and ability. Sam Harrisson on drums and percussion dictates the changes of tempo on the album with pitch perfect chronometric precision.
By having three musicians like these, recording together the whole album locked in the same room at the same time with a spotless interplay, the end results cannot be less then phenomenal and Relentless is indeed, to say the least, a phenomenal album.
There are different shades of rock for all different palates, on the Canadian band's new record. From the epic sound of tunes like the opener Stewtro Rock (Just Got Back) and Wipes Away Your Sin to the foot-stomping blues/rock of I'm Your Man and We Just Might until stepping into more rootsy territories, like in the song Up In The Air.
Even when The Paul DesLauriers Band delves into the roots of rock and roll, as in that magnificent blues ballad called If I Still Had You, the quality of their craftmanship and the consistency of their delivery is always first class.
The tracks Gonna Make You Move Part 1 and Part 2 might have been, originally, a long suite that the band decided to split in two separate segments.The first part is more rootsy, with little infusions of funk, sprayed cleverly throughout the tune. The second part, which also closes the album, is a perfectly executed instrumental blues/rock tune and frankly, those two tracks couldn't define any better the artistic message of a band with a great knowledge, respect and understanding of rock and roll.
Relentless is an album of rare beauty, whose sound frames beautifully the past and present of rock and roll at its very best. The Paul Deslauriers might have just pulled, through Relentless, one of the best albums of 2016.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Relentless is out now and it is available via Amazon
"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
It is a very special feeling to hear young artists respecting and loving music genres which are not exactly radio friendly, nowadays and putting, at the same time, so much dedication, hard work, love and passion in their works.
This is exactly the case of Ina Forsman, a very talented young singer/songwriter coming straight from the beautiful city of Helsinki in Finland. After working for few years side by side with her music mentor and one of the most respected harmonicists in the world, Helge Tallqvist, this superb Finnish artist has gradually developed an unconditional love for genres like blues, soul, R&B, jazz and swing, a love so beautifully illustrated in Forsman's self-titled debut album.
Recorded in only one week in Texas, United States with a group of excellent studio musicians and the special support of Tallqvist himself plus the fabulous brass band The Texas Horns, Ina Forsman's record delivers to the listener 11 music pearls, showcasing in full the beauty of her voice at 360 degrees.
If you happen to listen Forsman's voice for the first time, you will be immediately reminded of top performers like Christina Aguilera or Amy Winehouse but Ina Forsman is much more than that. This phenomenal singer, which has penned 10 of the 11 songs of the album, shows an outstanding maturity in understanding and appreciating music in its entirety and she does so with flawless class and elegance throughout the record.
Ina Forsman's album never falls flat or repetitive in any moment. Instead, it engages and challenges the listener to follow Forsman in every direction of her music path, doesn't matter whether it is a 1920's swing tune like Bubbly Kisses, a song about drunken sex or No Room For Love, a soulful R&B song in which Ina Forsman's intense vocal delivery reaches such an outstanding level of perfection somehow unimaginable, for such a young artist.
The closing track of the album is the only cover of the Finnish artist's self-titled record and it's Nina Simone's classic I Want A Little Sugar In My Bowl. Once again, Ina Forsman delivers an impeccable version of this song with the sole accompaniment of the piano, giving the listeners real shivers in the spine through her incredible vocals.
One of the highest qualities of this record, together with Forsman's great artistry, is the purity and passion that transpires from each individual song. There is true honesty, genuinity and a great will from the Finnish singer/songwriter to show how much she cares about music and how much she gives all of herself in every different expressions of her unique music talent.
A talent that, through the years, will surely take Ina Forsman to be recognised worldwide as one of the most inspired and eclectic artists of this generation.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Ina Forsman's debut album is out now and is available via Ruf Records
"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"
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- Written by: Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
A Force Of Nature is, by far, one of the most long-awaited debut albums worldwide for a music artist. This goes not just for blues or blues/rock lovers but also for those who really understand and appreciate broad talent in its full expression.
When the New Yorker blues/rock singer Sari Schorr bumped into veteran producer Mike Vernon in 2015 (John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, Ten Years After, Fleetwood Mac amongst the many superstars Vernon has produced throughout his career), she realised immediately that she had found the perfect match in understanding and enhancing her full potential.
The outcome, A Force Of Nature is a record that it's not just a play on words on Schorr's superior talent as a singer/songwriter and as a performer but also the best possible proof that Sari Schorr can be vocally challenged in any music genres and be able to pull it off anytime through her great artistry.
This debut album is a full display of the artistic artillery and the eclectic personality of this wonderful artist. Vernon's expert producing hand wisely allows total freedom and trust not just to the amazing array of tonalities that Sari Schorr is able to reach but also to her songwriting style.
A Force Of Nature is a record that catapults the listener in a musical journey of funk, blues and late 60's/early 70's psychedelic rock. The whole splendidly led by Schorr's powerful voice and supported by a number of highly skilled studio musicians, which includes guest guitarists of the calibre of Walter Trout, Innes Sibun and Oli Brown.
Lyrically, the album showcases at times themes about social responsibility very close to the heart of the American artist, such as physical abuses (Damn The Reason), prostitution (Demolition Man) or drug abuses (Aunt Hazel). In every occasion, even when it comes to sing songs not written by Schorr herself but by other artists, such as Work No More (written by Walter Trout) or in that outstanding version of the Lead Belly's classic Black Betty, Sari Schorr's delivery is impressive and convincing. A natural raconteur true and true.
To pick one or two songs from the album's setlist would be an injustice, because each song tells a unique story on its own, either musically or lyrically. As A Force Of Nature opens with the thunderous 60's bluesy sound of Ain't Got No Money, a lyrically dry "j'accuse" to the cynicism of capitalism in general, by the same account it closes with a simple and delicate statement to the importance of gratitude in life with the song Ordinary Life. The latter features, once again, another demonstration of the fabulous diversity of Schorr's singing style.
Many have labelled Sari Schorr, through the years, as a highly talented blues/rock interpreter. Through this debut album, the American artist has brilliantly proved that she is much more than that. There is a new shining star in the music galaxy. Her name is Sari Schorr.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
A Force Of Nature is due to be released worldwide 2nd September 2016 in Europe and 16th September 2016 in the United States via Amazon
"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"
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The blues/rock world is living a second youth, in 2016. This year, despite the sad loss of many famous worldwide music giants, is offering one of the most prolific moments in the history of the genre, through the release of many wonderful and eclectic records.
One of such records is, without a doubt, Gary Hoey's new album Dust & Bones, the 20th of his extraordinary career and the first to be released via Mascot Label Group.
For the debut with his new label, the American Guitar Virtuoso could have not chosen to record a better album than Dust & Bones. The album is the sum of the class, craftmanship and ability of an artist that, throughout his career, has never stopped to challenge himself, musically speaking.
Gary Hoey has always been and still is one of the most loved and appreciated rock guitarists worldwide. Now, through his previous record Deja Blues and especially with Dust & Bones, the American artist can be deservely labelled as one of the best blues guitarist too.
The new album showcases in full all the different sides of Hoey's artistry and his profound respect for some of the most inspirational guitarists of this century. The Guitar Maestro manages cleverly and brilliantly to incorporate elements of hard rock, blues, 70's rock and hillibilly in a kaleidoscopic music package with flawless results.
To find one highlight above all the tracks of the album is almost an impossible task. The title-track of the record is, perhaps, the most radio-friendly song of the album, craftly built on a solid wall of sound created by Hoey and his band.
When it comes to play blues, Hoey doesn't pull any string and push resolutely on the accelerator, spicing even further tracks like the opening Boxcar Blues, Back Up Against The Wall and Steamroller (the latter openly dedicated to Johnny Winter) with his distinctive rock touch.
The definition of rock, as genre, for Gary Hoey is not just related to one or two decades of music history or to one inspirational artist only. Through his delightful guitar solos, one can hear influences coming from artists like Joe Satriani or Gov't Mule, like in the tune Ghost Of Yesterday or ZZ Top and Cream, like in that splendid rock song that is Born To Love You. The whole array of influences is cemented together by the incredible artistry of Hoey that, on Dust & Bones, reaches the absolute peak of his music career.
Even when the tempo slows down a notch, like in that tender rock ballad that is Coming Home, where the wonderful Lita Ford makes a Special Guest appearance, the American artist showcases his maturity by penning a wonderful tune, enriched by excellent bridges and choruses. This is a song that has all the credentials to become one of the singles extracted from this splendid album.
Where everyone may expect, given Dust & Bone's structure, a powerful and fast-tempoed tune to close the album, Hoey surprises once again everybody by playing the only instrumental of the album, Soul Surfer. The tune is an ethereal journey through dreamy atmospheres that echoes memories of the best periods of artists like Ry Cooder and Carlos Santana but executed with the unique artistry and usual brilliancy of Hoey's guitar.
Dust & Bones is a true electric guitar songbook and the pinnacle of the career of an artist that has perfected, through the years, his artistic repertoire through hard work and an immense talent. It's an album to be played loud wherever you are and to be loved anytime, like it deserves.
Giovanni "Gio" Pilato
Dust & Bones is due to be released worldwide on 29th July 2016 via Mascot Label Group
"Buy a record, support the artists, preserve the future of music"