Back catalogue: Blues

Review: Neo-soul chanteuse Bette Smith is an upcoming talent who lends her tones to the blistering blues guitar work of Kirk Flecther here. The pair take on a cover of The Rolling Stones' classic tune 'Brown Sugar' and do it with real gusto. The drums smash hard, the guitar riffs are big and angular and the vocals re delivered in sleazy fashion. The Tone's quirky pop dance hit 'Dance Monkey' then gets covered don the flip and turned into a psyched out bluesy guitar number with big vocals. It's a unique rework that makes this a collectible 7".

Review: Dynamite Cuts have got another red hot bit of funk on their hands here with Brian Auger's Oblivion Express the subject of this reissue of two of his most blissed out sounds. The first is a magic cover of Marvin Gaye's timeless 'Inner City Blues' from his most iconic album, What's Going On. In this outfit's hands the groove becomes a little more deep and languid, with funky guitars and steamy vocals sinking you into a real romantic vibe. The second is an original tune, 'Voices Of Other Times,' that explores more uplifting soul vibes.

Review: Once nominated for the GRAMMY for 'Best Traditional Blues Album', blues and roots legend Eric Bibb delivers a brand new live album to the world, Live At The Scala Theatre, Stockholm, under license from Repute Records. Live at The Scala Theatre contains a selection of songs cherry-picked from Bibb's towering history as a musician, infused with the folk and blues tradition with more contemporary sensibilities. "Without a doubt," says Bibb, The Live at The Scala concert was "the most ambitious gig and recording project of my career." The performance features an all-star lineup of musicians including Eric's longtime collaborator, musical director and producer Glen Scott on bass, keys, drums and backing vocals; Olle Linder on drums and acoustic bass; Johan Lindstrom on pedal steel and electric guitar; Christer Lyssarides on electric guitar and mandola; we could go on.

Review: Atlanta blues-rock figureheads The Black Crowes were one of the most exciting and influential jam bands of the 1990s, with a sound that blended classic rock, blues, and soul into a fervent cocktail. Shake Your Money Maker: Live captures the band during their reunion tour embarked upon in 2021-22, tearing through a set of hits, covers and deep cuts with raw power and swagger - and with no loss of energy or talent. A special live video of the grumbly fan favourite 'Twice As Hard' comes in tandem with this gargantuan live album.

Review: The Black Crowes have never been ones to hide their inspirations. The classically-styled US blues rockers have turned their hands to plenty of covers over the years, and this time they're offering up a short album's worth of renditions under the banner of 1972. The year doesn't so much nod to the songs specifically as the feeling, and a particular era of sound they were aiming for. Given their skin in the game, it's no surprise to hear them nail the likes of 'Rocks Off' and 'Papa Was A Rolling Stone', paying homage and doing their own thing in equal measure.

Review: American blues-slanted rock band the Black Crowes put out their second album The Southern Harmony and Musical Companion back in May 1992. It was the first time Marc Ford had featured on lead guitar in place of Jeff Cease who was sacked the year before. It also marked the first time Eddie Harsch joined on keys and set a record at the time for being the first album to feature four rock number ones, and the album itself also climbed to the top spot in the Billboard 200 album chart. Its mix of blues and Southern styles often sees the album being included in lists of the best rock albums of all time.

Review: The southern rock back from Georgia, The Black Crowes saw huge success in the early 90s with multi-platinum success and even a number one album in America in mid-1992. They've been through a few ups and down since, and here comes their first album in over 15 years. It's their tenth overall, with this vinyl version coming on 180gram from Silver Arrows records, and with a world tour also pending, Black Crowes fans will be filling their proverbial boots in 2024.

Review: There are moments in the spellbinding and often criminally overlooked Blue Cheer anthem, 'Summertime Blues', when it feels like we've descended into the depths of industrial guitar chaos. A cacophony of feedback, growls, and low, rumbling refrains. A pithy reinterpretation of Eddie Cochran's 1958 hit single, here rendered obtuse for the second, decidedly less-radio and commercial-friendly rock 'n' roll generation.

The whole version plays out in a way that's much like we can imagine Jimi Hendrix might have made happen. Grizzled, gritty, fraught and, ultimately, very loud indeed. It's a standout on this triple-A-side of 1967 Blue Cheer demos, three tracks committed to the pantheons when the psychedelic blues and acid rockers were first beginning to focus their energies. But while the aforementioned is the main event, everything here shows why there was so much excitement around them in the first place.

Review: Joe Bonamassa cut his teeth playing gigs from the tender age of 12, supporting the likes of B.B. King and sharing band line-ups with the son of Miles Davis amongst others. His solo career kicked off in earnest in 2000, and his third album Blues Deluxe arrived in 2003. It gathers together nine covers of blues standards, covering the likes of John Lee Hooker, Jeff Beck, Buddy Guy and Robert Johnson as well as presenting three of his own original compositions. It's a high-end, polished take on the blues rock sound presented by a lifelong devotee, now remastered and repressed on double vinyl.

Review: Country and folk fans alike take heed - Muireann Bradley is a startling new talent in country and bluegrass from County Donegal in Ireland. I Kept These Old Blues absolutely calls back to a golden age of Americana, but Bradley's Irish lilt comes through and entwines with her faithful Southern twang to make for an endlessly charming end result. Her playing is pitch-perfect, stripped to the bone finger-picking all the better to savour the songs and the way they're sung. Don't sleep on this limited coloured vinyl edition of this rough diamond of an album.

Review: Aziza Brahim's fantastic new album Mawja is a blend of Sahrawi roots music, folk, and contemporary sounds that reflect on the resilience and spirit of her homeland. Through haunting vocals and poetic lyrics, Brahim shares stories of displacement, longing, and hope, drawing from her experiences as a Sahrawi refugee. Backed by hypnotic rhythms, intricate melodies, and soul-stirring instrumentation, each track creates a rich tapestry of sound which means the record is more than just an album; it's a powerful testament to the human spirit and a poignant reminder of the ongoing struggle for freedom and justice. Brahim's music resonates deeply, transcending borders and connecting hearts across the globe.

Review: Brian Auger's Oblivion Express was the phoenix that rose from the ashes of sixties combo The Trinity. Fusing R&B, jazz, soul and funk, keyboard maestro Brian Auger created a new breed of music that took the US and the UK by storm. Auger's unique experimentation culminated in rhythm-infused jazz funk that united black and white 70s audiences. The six studio albums that make up Complete Oblivion illustrate the group's diverse musical influences and progression, from the 1970 self titled debut's heavy jazz-rock to the jazz fusion, Latin and disco-tinged Reinforcements from 1975 - this process no doubt powered by the group's evolving line up, which included guitarists Jim Mullen and Jack Mills, drummers Robbie McIntosh & Steve Ferrone, bassists Barry Dean and Clive Chaman and vocalist Alex Ligertwood.

Review: Mel Brown's Chicken Fat album is the latest to get the reissue treatment by the good folks at Verve. The guitarist's 1967 Impulse! debut is said to be one of the funkiest and most original the late ever put out. His signature picking style is clean and bluesy and was honed while he played with legends like John Lee Hooker's and T-Bone Walker's bands. There is also plenty of well swung soul-jazz in the great organ work and for this version the original audio has been transferred from the analog tapes to nice heavy vinyl.

Review: This stunning album from Sarah Brown pays tribute to gospel icon Mahalia Jackson with a series of covers that mark her out as a real talent. The redemption songs truly hit deep and different and the authoritative vocal turns leave you in awe from front to back. The album is a payback for all the inspiration Brown has taken from Jackson's work, and first came to mind when she was singing on the Roxy Music reunion tour all the way back in 2000. It might have been a long time coming, but the wait was worth it.

Review: The Tone Poet series from Blue Note recently reissued legendary American guitarist Kenny Burrell's self-titled album, which was recorded in 1956 across several of New York's finest venues. Now it looks to his KB Blues album which came a year later and was his third session as a Blue Note label leader in the studio of legendary producer Rudy Van Gelder in New Jersey. His signature playing style comes to the fore with Horace Silver on piano, Hank Mobley on tenor saxophone, Doug Watkins on bass, and Louis Hayes on drums. The album features their take on Silver's 'Nica's Dream' and Burrell's 'Out for Blood' plus two different takes of Burrell's easy-going 'K.B Blues.' A really swinging set.