The blues are brewin’…
Jay Willie plays a slick guitar and nasty slide, singing along with lead vocalist and harpmeister James Montgomery and a supporting cast of Paul Opalzch/b-keys-stg, Bobby T Torello and backing vocalsist Lee-Ann Lovelace and Kyle Mangold through these blueswailers. The team does some hip harmonies on the Latin-laced cruiser of “Three Cool Cats” while the team takes a trip to Chicago as Montgomery harps on during “Neighbor Neighbor”. The guitars give some smokestack lighting to a growling take of The Rolling Stones’ “Satisfaction” and some shuffling grooves bring out the best in Montgomery’s harmonica for “I’m Yours and I’m Hers”. The sole instrumental “Montgomery Boogie” has Torello in overtime and the team goes deep into the delta on “Give Me One Reason” and “Mean Town Blues”. Faded jeans.
Lisa Mills has a rough and gruff delivery on this collection of swampy blueswailers, recorded in the deep South on four June 2019 sessions. It’s fitting that the last tune, an intimate “Just Walking In The Rain” with her and guitar, was recorded in Memphis’ famous Sun Studios, as the tune and the location give hints of her loyalties. The Muscle Shoals, Alabama team gives Suzie Q riffs on the swampy “Greenwood, Mississippi” while the team gets STAXY on the gritty “Tell Mama”. From Memphis, Mills is in a gospel mood on the soulful “That’s How Strong My Love Is” while some nice bluesy keys on “Same Time Same Place”. From Jackson, Mississippi, there’s a shuffle in the dark on “Travel On” and stomping juke joint jumping on “Someone Else Is Steppin’ In” and “Members Only”. Mills carries a rich vibrato and enough sass to goose any gander.