Hues of blues
Willie J. Laws Jr. plays guitar and sings with the style of BB King, backed by a smoky team of Dave Johnson/b, Brooks Milgate/keys, Justin Blackurn/ddr, Eric Lawrence/sax, Mark Berney trp, Mike Machaby/st and backing vocalists. There’s some definite swamp material, right of the Chitlin’ Circuit with Paul Nelson on slide and Jerry Portnoy blowing the harp on “Sorry Charlie”, while the horns give a James Brown feel to ”Getcha’ Knee Off My Neck”. There’s a lot of funky chicken going around as well on “You Don’t Love Me” and “The Right”. Most tasty is a sweet take of The Isley Brothers hit “Who’s That Lady” and a sizzling “Stuck In Traffic”. Laws never overplays his hand.
Jhett Black sings with a deep baritone, playing most instruments except for some guest work by Dena/b-key-perc, Dusty Skins/dr, Joe Waters/b and Luciana Schiavone/voc. There’s a lot of gristle in the swamp of “Wayward Son” and “Eve” , and ominous slide guitar sounds add an extra chill to “Babel” and “Devil Ain’t An Only Child”. Black sings with fortitude on the Aerosmithy slither of “Mamma Told Me Not To” and is harrowing surrounded by the humming organ on “Eulogy”. Keep the hall light on.
Consisting of Zachary Feemster/voc-g, J.Wesley Hardin/b, Gregory Mosley/key, Jim Devers/dr and Greg Achord/g, the Texas team Ole Lonesome specializes in roadside kill blues rocking. Hints of ZZ Top rumple on the dark “Yvette” and the boogieing “Momma’s Worry”. Slithering blues are belted out by Feemster as he growls out “Easy Street” and twosteps through “Gold Chevy”. Mike Zito lends his Fender for a wailing “Lo Key” and Achord takes a side street in Chicago on “ Ain’t No Good”. Diners, dives and drums.