Joe Bonamassa, Driving Towards the Daylight Review

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Joe is as big as he’s ever been at the moment. That is all credit to the work he does, every May for the last however many years he has released a fresh album for his fans to hear, and that is a great example to the music industry, and a reason I still think many more need to hear, this not only talented guitarist, but now a well rounded artist, with versitlity and song writing capability. I can only see him getting bigger.

So Since “Dust Bowl”, we’ve had BCC2, an album with Beth Hart, a live DVD from the Beacon, New York. Joe has been very consistent in the last few years at realasing new material, which stretches him beyond his comfort zone.

I hear a hammond. I hear a guitar and this album is rolling. It defiantly has that old school Blues Rock feel, with Joe’s Signature feel. “Dislocated Boy” is more than a catchy, foot tapper but a long, thrilling song, obviously as we come to expect exploding and sizzling, with guitar work. And as each year passes, Joe’s vocal is getting better.

There is plenty of talented guitarists that try to sell themselves on that quality only, but testament to Joe, as I mentioned earlier, he is not to be messed in around any musical department at all anymore.

This leads to a Robert Johnson song. How dare he cover this! He does it justice, a big part of Johnson’s songs is certainly that syncopated groove, of which this cover centres, with what I believe sounds like a 12 string. You can hear the connection with the Johnson song, and the enjoyment of him covering it, which is what you want to hear when covering a 1930′s blues classic.

Now we have what I would say is one of the best songs Joe has written. Seeing some YouTube videos of him playing this live, he announces that this new album will have plenty more 6 min songs, and certainly have no hits. Well, I think a lot of people from the general public would certainly appreciate this, a soothing Ballard, as summer comes around, the words and music really work, and are a feeling most can relate to.

That not Joe talking, its the Wolf, Chester Burnett. Lord he wrote some good songs. “Who’s been talking” a chess classic, with the “calypso beat” adds some sure diverse flavour to this LP.

Next up is a Willie Dixon song, Its got all I need. The standard swing blues that Joe nails with phrasing and classic flavour.

Now, a Joe Bonamassa album is incomplete with slow, “Gary Moore style” minor blues tunes. This time a Bernie Mardsen song with a sweltering guitar melody, and of course the soul flying from that guitar is a lot to prepare yourself for.

Joe is very professional with his work. I have never heard that he has disappointed when live, nor has put out a bad album, to my recollection. Also every interview, he is very in touch with his fans, and I personally find that amazing. This job tires some down, they get grumpy or whatever else, Joe is the great example of how to be a musician.

Next a groovy song. “Lonley Town, Lonley Street”, a driving, Rolling stones esque, Rock n’ Roll. Written by the great Bill Withers, writer of “Ain’t no sunshine”. Bonamassa’s character nails this performance. Also a guitar/ organ, solo dual.

Following this is a baby of Joe’s “Heavenly Soul”. Sizzling from the last song, comes this smooth folky intro rake, with driving Bass. I hear a marvellous mandolin, which adds to the diversity of the jam. One of the stronger songs on the album and it goes right into your soul. Your heavenly soul. As it moves on, you hear syncopated organs, of which Arlan Schierbaum has done a great job through the album. This one breaks down like a Led Zep infused folky tune, and we can hear some BCC in there as well. I personally think this has the best solo on the album. Tele twang and some beautiful runs and phrasing here, really tasteful.

Now track 9, adds to the great climax to this album. Bonamassa’s guitar shining in an amass of sizzling organ goodness. Rhythmic guitar work and really tasty phrasing in the verses is a guitarist’s dream, and those sustained bends… kossoff would be proud of them.

Listen to that psychodellic enchanted guitar sound, and everyone is enjoying this number to the max. It’s a great Bona-tune ;)

Lastly, we see an aussie, grooving this old school album to the end, rounding off a really nice instalment from Mr. Bonamassa. “Too Much…” has that Rod Stewart, Beck Vibe, which we all love here.

Keep it up Joe, in the UK this is a Number two album. I deserves a number one, for fucks sake, but we’ll take number 2.

All I can say, is walking into HMV on Sunday, and there was a little stand with a good few rows of this album on the top. Thats where the Blues belongs…

DS

John Mayer, Born and Raised Review

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Finally, after a wait of more than two years, the music of John Mayer and his words are back in our ears. And yet we have a fourth incarnation. (or five if you include the trio’s live album) Its not just a new album, but a slightly different version of John Mayer as always, he is proud of the fact that he takes different directions with his writing and ever diversifies his songwriting, singing, guitar playing to a different level. If anyone is still waiting for John to follow continuum, though many accept it to be his best album, there will never be a “Continuum 2″.

So with only a few acoustic videos of John and the “Tiger Jam” clips around since around August 2011, then I heard the rumours of “Born and Raised”, and these certainly had potential, but then from Shadow Days coming around in February, I was ready for Born and Raised.

So in goes the C.D. and the Queen of California is a great way to start this album, chilled, and I’m feeling it. Plus “Heading out west with my headphones on”, yes that is a great line. And I’m sure in this age a lot listening will have the same feeling whilst listening, travelling in the sun.

The whole feel of the album is one which gets into your soul and makes you feel at ease with yourself. There was a lot of coverage about John’s “Stupid Mouth” in interviews. And I ignored such stuff, as that song off his first album “Room for Squares” certainly sums up part of his character which has been part of the ten years he has spent on the scene.

The Age of Worry is a catchy acoustic riff, sizzling with folk and musical contrast, and its a point that the media and even our lives exist around worry and fear. Last week I’ve had the most important week of exams in my life so far, seriously, it talks, and we can all “smile in the age of worry”.

Now Mayer is more settled, away from LA and New York, and living in a small town in Montana for the last few years. If you look on youtube, and scroll back to the battle studies release, it is certainly a lot more documented than this release. Videos, leaks, drunken nights, also he was tweeting back then… Born and Raised feels like it is “his album”, that he personally connects with, and that is massively important and is the extra factor which can make an album classic.

Next, “Shadow Days”, the sounds which assure me… Mayer was back. We can all say “Im a good man, with a good heart”, and the single shows the reasons why Mayer can say these words and its quite fitting that it was the first most heard of John Mayer’s return. It goes with a new image and an almost different outlook on life.

Following, is “Speak for me” another masterpiece, “The Cover of Rolling Stone ain’t the Cover of Rolling Stone”, perhaps to do with his interview, or I like to think its about the type of music that such vintage magazines consider “Vintage” today. Following this is “Something Like Olivia” the Groovy bluesy deep south track.

Next we see the title track, “Born And Raised”. Supported by Crosby and Nash, it is a Mayer Classic. I hear no continuum, but it speaks… His parents split up he found himself at a place in his life where he felt and he wrote. The Dylan feel and a slight bluesy vibe, it’s John. And as with the whole album, he takes a different route, but he’s not trying to be something he isn’t.

Ironically, recently I’ve been feeling, “If I ever get around to living, I’ll sort out my blog again” . As usual everyone has felt this feeling, and the song gets into your head.

Next is arguably the best song on the album, Love is a Verb. Like Daughters or Gravity, its the ballards of Love for which Mayer is an ambassitor. Its beautifully written and performed and was in my head on hearing a rough acoustic demo on youtube.

Now, we havn’t heard a story from John for a long time. This is the perfect bedtime story. The tale of Walt Grace and his one man submarine ride. I actually love it, I normally hate such long titled songs, but its’s vibe is great and it gets into your head.

The last two songs, and the Born and Raised reprise, really embellish the finish of this album. I’ve always maintained that John always finishes his albums very strongly, and this is no exception. Beautify whisked together words and choruses which will always fall in and out of my head I’m sure.

This is exactly what it needs to be. I will never ask for John to recreate Continuum, that’s what bad artists do, hit the formula and use it in different ways. But Mayer throws it out the window every time, and that’s why I love his music, and have nothing but respect to what is in the main a “pop” artist.

The Album confirms to me that John Mayer is one of those timeless artists.

I hear he wants to write a new one while he recovers, and then eventually perhaps a year away we’ll have two albums which haven’t been toured. That’ll be a good day.

See you when your next in London..

DS

The Long Search for a New Guitar pt.3 – Hello Tele

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Around 2009 I started thinking of the next step in guitars, and the main thought over those two years has come to spending the money on a Mexican Fender Tele. But I just never felt those guitars, they were almost “Too modern”. With ceramic pickups in where I wanted alnico, six saddle bridge, where i lust for the tones of a three saddle brass bridge, and also they had this polyester finish, that diddn’t really see me want to put the money into those guitars, however tempting the Fender name is, it wasn’t ever the guitar for me.

But there was always the Classic Vibe, the opposite, what I would say is more luxurious, at the top end of squier, but for years were only around in right handed. But all credit to fender recently, who’s new CEO really seems to bring this company back to where it should be, and after waiting and waiting in September 2011, time came around, and the affordable butterscotch beauty from Squier was here for leftys.

I played one in tin pan alley, no money on me, it was exactly what I wanted, but by this January low stock and production saw no way for me to play this guitar if I wanted it, there were bad stock problems, in part 2 I outlined these two small problems:

  • Thin Neck: Some love thin necks, I prefer medium to larger necked guitars, I dont completely hate the playability of thin necks, and I think I could get used to it, though, I think a neck contributes to much to guitar tone, and just generally like the feeling of a chunkier neck.
  • Play Before You Buy, Worthing Guitar Shop Closures: To be “The” Guitar I feel the need to go in to a shop try and buy it. Though no music shops stock it in Worthing or Brighton, and I do not really want to order it….

I needed to play before I bought it, and there was little way to do so. Blues is soul and a feeling, and a guitar is part of my body to be fair. I have that with all my guitars, though some may be rather cheap, I know that I can connect with all of them in some way. I wanted to connect with this tele, like Bruce, Gatton, Bonamassa, Clapton connect with their guitars, I wanted the same.

After a lot of phoning and sighing, they finally were able to get this guitar into GAK in Brighton, two weeks ago on Sunday, I played it, connected with it and bought it. The wait was over. Well, my “Reverse GAS” has been combated… for now. But more importantly, I have a beautiful tele, of which is everything I’ve ever wanted from a guitar.

Bite, Drive, Clean, tones and even just strumming it like an acoustic, I do love the sounds of telecasters, and really enjoy and feel this guitar is the perfect tool.

Now, I need more gear.

DS

Click for part one and part two of this series….

What makes a good gig?

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I’ve seen Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa and B.B. King live played at the odd small gig myself, some successful and some not, and in a place where I might find myself contributing to organising one myself, it got me wondering what makes a good gig?

Obviously, Joe, Eric and BB are big international stars, well more than enough to sell out 5-20,000 venues all over the world with their names on the bill. And all three were and are absolute class acts. Always on the money these days.

But what if I’m playing. Or a local band, when it’s early days. Nobody really is going to particularly travel to see you and you don’t have a fan base. Well not that isn’t your friends. Normally these have 5-6 bands in.

I would say the most important thing in these such events is do something which makes people want to go there, on a Saturday night or whenever. You have to compete with any other plans and things going on and really show it off as being a good time, more than anything else, a good night out. Also as the organiser if there is 6 bands involved, make them sell at least 20 tickets each, sell 20 yourself and there is 140 people there and from that or even selling ten each, groups of people will come, you don’t really want lots of individuals, hardly anyone will turn up and will feel more awkward, you want groups of people who know each other who as really going to enjoy themselves.

On the night is to some extent more important. Actually I take that back, it is more important. The bands better know what there doing, otherwise people are going to leave (yes I’ve seen it before at quite a few nights the band before us was crap, and there was nobody left to play to) get everyone enjoying themselves.

Just the main priority is to make the whole, selling, setting up and playing process organic and pure as possible. Really enjoy every miniute, if that cones across, you’re gonna sell tickets and it should be a good night……

As long as no scremo bands play you are fine

DS – work from your soul ;)