table at Rhythms On Trade in Greer, SC wait- ing to go onstage to sing, I had a gut feeling that this album was going to be good. I am sorry to report that I was dead wrong. The CD is not good. It’s great! Cameron Johnson is a fantastic songwriter
with a very pleasing voice and the instrumen- tation and production on the EP is very good. All six songs are good. I call that good “edit- ing.” Weed out the songs that are just “okay” or “good,” and only record great songs. It’s quality over quantity. Sometimes Cameron reminds me of Paul
Thorn. “Mannequin with a Megaphone” is re- ally a cool idea. He sings part of the song through an actual megaphone before the whole band comes it at full tilt rock mode. The more sedate verses through the mega- phone immediately brought to mind Miranda Lambert. On one of her latest records, she sings a sexy lyric (“Fine Tune”) through a megaphone. So that was hung in my head. All of these songs are great. “Too Long” has
a real Don Dixon vibe and melody. Don’t know Don? Google him and listen to his old Romantic Depressive record. Cameron’s kick off track, “On My Own,” is a
simply amazing song, and has a line that says, “go ahead and stack your stones. Pretend at times you don’t feel alone.” Henceforth the title of the album. As I say, the whole EP is great, but my favorite remains “(Girl with) Crooked Bangs.” I can hardly wait for a full-length album by
Cameron. He has what it takes to go all the way, and I for one will be there waiting when he makes it to the top so I can tell him “I told you so!”
- Michael Buffalo Smith
Mark May Band & The Soul Satyr Horns Blues Heaven (Connor Ray Music) I first heard of Mark May back when he was
a member of the Dickey Betts Band. I imme- diately liked his style, and kept up with his ca- reer from then onward. Hailing from Columbus, Ohio, May just re-
leased his sixth album, Blues Heaven, for Connor Ray Music. The album is jam packed with fine blues and rock tunes and May’s ex- cellent guitar work. All 13 tracks are good. I must say right off the bat, I love a horn band, and then addition of the mighty Satyr Horns is really the cherry on top of this musical sweet treat. The rocking “Put Down That Poison” is not
only a stern warning of the dangers of booze and drugs, it is also a guitar workout that finds Mark whipping off riffs that brought to mind greats like Albert Lee and Arlen Roth. I am convinced that not only is Mark May a natural born blues player and singer, he can play country-rock with equal style and swag- ger. Of course, the set opener, “Boom, Boom”
whips the funk out right of the gate, and it is truly rock and roll blues at it’s finest, talking about those wonderful sexy girls we all have known and loved. The ones that drive you crazy with their hips and curves. It’s got a bit of an Albert Collins vibe. “Money” has a Buddy Guy, Chicago blues
thing happening, and the message is clear – “money is the root of all evil.” Of course, every track has it’s own particular merits, as in “Boomerang,” a song about karma. I so love the line “Every day’s got a setting sun.” The lead run seems to come straight from the heart to the fingertips. Our cover story friend Greg Martin adds to
the party, playing his magic slide on “She’s a Keeper.” Dig it; nobody plays a more badass
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70