The blues in three hues
Mark Crissinger sings and plays a bluesy guitar with Bill Hicks/dr, Jay Stevens/b, Marty Howe/harp, Darcy Phillips/key and Pierre Komen/ts on a honky tonking collection of originals. The band gives off a Stevie Wonder “Higher Ground” riff on the title tune while “I’ma Gonna Love You” has a 50s Ronnettes beat delivered by Hicks. Some fun two beat Cajun shuffling is fun fo r”Bluesesize Boogie” and the guitars slide into third in a dust cloud for “Hornby.” Vintage hues of blues.
Hints and echoes of the Allman Brothers Band along with Tedeschi Trucks are heard on this rootsy album with Matt Isbell/voc-g, Taylor Orr/g, Kevin Houston/g, Suavo Jones/tb-tp, Matt Karner/b, Andrew McNeill/dr, Cedric Taylor/B3-p and guest singers along with everyone else eventually joining in at the mic.
The team has a nice bluesy feel with a humming Hammond and guitar on the upbeat title track, and they show how to jam on a flowing “Givin’ It All Away.” The mix of horns and hues creates a Cumberland Gap feel for “Lyin’ To Yourself” and the band boogies through “High Again.” Some folksy feel gets rural on “Hey There Lucinda” and a gospel groove has a Sunday feel for “Carry Me Home.” Would love to see this group tour around, as the album has an organic “live” feel.
Meanwhile, Myles Goodwyn sings like a pawnbroker and plays guitar and keyboards like a juke jointer with a rotating team of drummers, bassists, guitarists and just about anyone walking through the kitchen door. His slide guitar is a nasty piece of work teamed with Sherman Doucette’s harmonica on “When Your Ship Came In.” And he even gives a bit of yodel on the Louisiana hayride of “Even Singing Cowboys Get The Blues.” A mix of boogie, blues and reggae are shaken, not stirred for “All Over Now” and lots of shuffles are simmering throughout the rowdy rest of tunes. Make sure you open your own bottle in this joint!