Sure, there are plenty of albums that have a guy playing the harmonica now and then along with strumming the guitar, but few cats have the courage (or chops) to emphasized the Hohner for an entire album, and not make it sound like a wheeze convention Enter Mike Stevens…
Stevens blows a mean harp on this mix and match album of foot stomping cutting and pasting with blueswailers Jeff Getty/g, Art Hratchian/dr, Kevein Breit/g, Jeff Bird/b and various guests. Polly Harris struts her voice on a swampy reggae’d “Like A Little Bird” and Cory James Mitchell brings a Cajun feel to “Livin’ in Sarnia”. Stevens himself has a nice growl to his voice, getting raucous on “Bad In A Good Way” and juke jointing through “Put Your Phone Down” and “Devil’s Bride”. Throughout the jumping session, Stevens’ harmonica is a Chicago breeze off of Lake Michigan, searing through the instrumental “Watermelon Pie” and giving a blue hue to “Jesse’s Request”. Wailing wonders.