Originally recorded in February of 2003 at The Yale in Vancouver, this album features front-man Kim Simmonds joined by guitarist David Malachowski, bassist Gerry Sorrentino, and drummer Dennis Cotton. Loaded with lots of extended jams, this delightful six-pack of songs gives a solid hours’ worth of listen- ing.
The record opens with some serious
hard-driving blues with “When it Rains” off the 2003 Strange Dreams album. Simmonds then dovetails “Where Has Your Heart Gone?” in quite nicely for an exquisite eleven and a half minutes of intoxicating slow jam and guitar play. From one of my favorite Savoy Brown albums, 1970’s Looking In, we hear the funky blues of “Poor Girl” which spins the tale of a young woman who’s fled the country life to be surrounded by the bright lights of the big city which chews her up and eventually spits her out. I love how Simmonds lets loose on guitar with this one. It’s an absolutely searing performance. You Should Have Been There! closes with the ominous 1972 “Hellbound Train” which boasts an amazing guitar solo from Mala- chowski. The energy of this performance cer-
tainly transcends through to the recording. You should have been there. I should have been there. We all should have been there.
-Phillip Smith
The Dozens Test (
www.thedozensband.com) The Dozens have a great
sound and their latest EP displays all of their influ- ences from Memphis, Mus-
cle Shoals and Macon. Alabama native Shelley Butler belts out the vocal on the set opener “Tidal Wave,” backed by pounding drums from her husband Steven Butler and thumping bass from Brent Irvin. It’s almost
hypnotic. Toss in the guitars of Travis Posey and Chip Dews and the organ and piano of Danny Hocter and you get an original gumbo of sound that sometimes seems a bit reminis- cent of the Allman Brothers (the end section of “Tidal Wave,” and often has the funk of a Little Feat (“Chase Me”) or the beauty of a top 40 pop song (“Took a Walk”). The B3 is at the forefront of “Battle Scars,” one of my favorite tracks from the record. Of course all seven tracks are outstanding and feature some ex- cellent guitar work, slide, keys and drums. “The End” is another infectious groove before the band closes things out with “Some Kind of Voodoo,” beginning with Shelley singing acappella before adding Dobro. Highly rec- ommended.
-Michael Buffalo Smith
Brother Dege Farmer’s Almanac (Psyouthern Records) Farmer’s Almanac, the
fourth full-length album from Louisiana native, Brother
Dege Legg, is somewhat of a masterpiece. Its eleven original tracks are slathered with at- tention-grabbing slide guitar, and razor-sharp lyrics. Backing Brother Dege is The Brethren, comprised of Kent Beatty on bass, and drum- mers Greg Travasos and Doug Belote. A surge of excitement traverses
through “Country Come to Town”. Dege’s magnificent finger picking shines while Travasos provides a steady heartbeat-like pulse. Layers of instrumentation provide an enhanced sense of depth in “The Shake- down”. The country blues slide and backdrop of dual drums makes this an amazing listen. The stories Legg tells with his songs are
fantastic. Outlaw blues ballad “Bastards Blues” is tension-filled and swampy. Guest drummers Hawley Joe Gary (Spank the Mon- key) and Eric Heigle (The Lost Bayou Ram-
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