Jump blues, shuffling rhythms and tales of the road…
John Fusco gets rootsy with songs, attitudes and moods reminiscent of The Band on this ambitious two disc set, divided into a “Southern Chapter” and “Northern Chapter”. He sings with a coarse well traveled growl, plays piano, Hammond B3 and guitar along with Cody Dickinson/dr-g-dob-b, Kurt Pierson/g, Dennis Diego/b, Spencer Perry/dr, a horn section of Sarah 
Morrow/tb, Baby J-Dan Alario/sax, josh Clinger/tp and various guest vocalists and one off musicians. The moods range from dark acoustic moods at McCabes as on “John The Revelator” to whimsical ditties such as “Ophelia (Oh, I Feel Ya)”. Rich earthy tones are on “Jacqueline” and the guitars slide on the bluesy “Baker Man”. The atmosphere is 
casual, 
last call and everyone feels like they’re taking a load off of Annie.
Singer/songwriter Willie Nile comes out of the street smart mold of Bruce Springsteen, having played with him at times, and sounding highly E Streety on this double disc session that has various guests sitting in and singing in. You get some nice juke joint jumping by Graham Parker on “One Guitar” and some Mercy Beat melodies by XL Kings on “That’s The Reason”. Nils Lofgren joins in for a fervent “All God’s Children” and Nile shows how to pick and grin with Emily Duff on “Hell Yeah” while he sounds like the took a load off of Annie with Quarter Horse on “When Levon Sings”. Nile is a throwback to the days of blue jean rockers with no glitter but plenty of grit. No frills but lots of dirt under the nails.
Singer/songwriter Heidi Newfield sounds like she was weaned at the Old Palomino club, with her dusty road of a voice and attitude that sounds like she’s spent a few trips hitchhiking from El Paso to San Antonio. The McCabes-friendly team of Michael Rhodes/b, Dave Rob/b, David Grissom/g, Bobby Terry/Stg, Jim Brown/p-B3, Fred eltrinham/dr and Matt King/voc provide VFW sounding tones while Newfield songs and plays a hip little harmonica on pieces like the blues rocker “I Won’t Wait Around” and the earthy “The Blues Is My Business” . She shows her funk side on the gritty “Bring This House Down” and slides along with the guitar strings for the dark delta of “Temporary Fix (For A Permanent Scar)”. A sepia toned “Whitley’s Tombstone” teams her at the mic with Randy Houser” and she shows her pretty side for “When Heaven Falls”. Her photos make her look high maintenance, but I’d let her work on my Ford truck anytime.
Vocalist and guitarist Cidny Bullens delivers some 70s rock with George Marinelli/g-slg, Mark T. Jordan/key, steve Mackey/b, Lynn Williams/dr and Ray Kennedy/perc on a collection of Stone Poney’d originals. His voice is a bit of the nasally flavored, rocking steady like Bad Company on the title tune, relaxed with the keyboards on the acoustic “The Gender Line” and gving some folk moods on “Crack the Sky” and “Purgatory Road”. Street wise messages abound as on “Sugartown”, and he knows how to tell a tale. Hitch a ride.
Sugar Ray Norica gives a juke joint growl on vocals and snarls like an old muffler on harmonica with his jumping team of Charlie Baty on guitar, pianist Anthony Geraci, bassist Michael Ward, drummer Neil Gouvin and guitarist Duke Robillard on this smoky blues fest. Geraci leads a boogie fest on “Too Far From The Bar” and sears with Norica’s harp on the shuffling “Reel Burner”. Norcia sings like he swallowed his tobacco chew on “don’t Give No More Than You Can Take” and takes you on a trip to Chicago on the searing hot “Can’t Hold Out Much Longer” and fun “Walk Me Home”. Ward leads the team through some dark shadows late at night on “What I Put You Through” and the lights are low for the after hours “What Will Become Of Me”. No two drink minimum.
Peter Himmelman is a throwback to the laconic storytellers of John Hiatt or Jim Croce, with the sardonic wit of Randy Newman. He can get as folksy as a delta dawn as on “Flying Sideways ‘Cross The Blacktop” or reflective with cerebral notions during “Straw and Kerosene” or “Big Red Mood”. He’s personal and private on a penetrating “This Is My Offering” while as upbeat and encouraging as a summer camp coach on “Press On” while doing the chicka boom street groove on “This Is How It Ends”. A storied teller.