Sound Advice: This week's CD releases
Voodoo Moon/Ruf
Back in the mid-'60s, part of the famous "British Invasion," the influx of music acts from the United Kingdom into the United States, included an impressive roster of blues artists.
Among names such as Fleetwood Mac, Free and John Mayall, another act, Savoy Brown, found some success on this side of the pond.
Nearly a half-century later, the band still exists, although it boasts only one original member: guitarist and singer Kim Simmonds.
Savoy Brown developed a reputation for having a revolving door of talent, many of who went on to play with acts such as Black Sabbath, Foghat and UFO.
This hasn't kept Simmonds and his current stable of hired hands from releasing new material, though, and on Savoy Brown's latest, "Voodoo Moon," the band sounds as good as ever. Simmonds is joined by sax player and singer Joe Whiting, bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnet Grimm for an album's worth of blistering blues numbers.
Highlights include "Shockwaves," "Look at the Sun" and especially "Natural Man," which features thinly veiled shoutouts to Bob Dylan, Van Halen and George Thorogood.
If straightforward electric guitar blues are what you Crave, then just about any track here will get things moving.
Key Tracks: "Shockwaves," "Natural Man," "Look at the Sun"
Think of England/Independent
Having long been a fan of the Irish outfit The Waterboys, I have to admit to getting a little excited the first time I heard "Disaster," the leadoff track from Ryan Bonner's new CD, "Think of England."
That tune -- from the way Bonner's voice soars over the instruments like that of Waterboys front man Mike Scott to the way it sticks in your head for hours afterward -- only serves as the tip of the iceberg.
Irish roots rock gives way to something a bit more homespun on "Close Your Eyes (And Think of England)," which finds Bonner harnessing a nice Southern twang.
The Americana music style leaves a lot of room for discussion when it comes to what sound a band might be trying to achieve, but it also allows for some great experimenting along the way.
From the bouncing tempo in the ridiculously catchy "Devil in a Wedding Gown" to the simplicity of "Walking in Circles" (which features backing vocals by Cary Ann Hearst), there is plenty here to be proud of.
Also worth mentioning is Bonner's reimagining of the song "Cruella Devil" from the Disney film "101 Dalmations," in which the singer transforms a song from a Disney cartoon into a dark cautionary tale.
"Think of England" is one of those albums that rewards its owner with every spin, and while it isn't perfect, the CD is nonetheless better than a lot of the major label schlock that is out there.
Key Tracks: "Disaster," "Close Your Eyes (And Think of England)," "Cruella Devil"
Monkey Trap/Independent
Listening to the first few tracks on "Monkey Trap," the new release by local musician Keith Bruce, and one thing is readily evident: The guy has fun making music.
The songs on "Monkey Trap" are for the most part life-affirming and upbeat.
Beginning with the New Orleans-infused "Go Home," Bruce demonstrates his lovely singing voice and his talent playing guitar. Most of the rest of the album contains agreeable music and shows off Bruce's range of musical styles.
One can hear elements of blues, funk, rock, R&B, reggae, country and even beach music in Bruce's songs.
Some of the better moments include "Stop," "Pocotaligo" and "Everything I Need," but the fact is that Bruce's new album has the same sort of friendly accessibility on nearly all of it's tracks.
I suppose when one actually loves what they do for a living it shows in their looks and actions. In this regard, I'm reasonably sure that Bruce is a happy fellow indeed.
Key Tracks: "Stop," "Pocotaligo," "Everything I Need"
