Sardinas will show off 'Big Motor' during show

Eric Sardinas has found a new way to perform more of the same.

After three solo albums the blues guitarist recently released Eric Sardinas and Big Motor.

Longtime fans that have come to expect his brand of deep Southern, rural, country blues need not worry that he's changed his style. He still performs with a terrifyingly raw vengeance. It's just that he now does so as part of a trio. This, after enlisting the assistance of Levell Price (bass) and Patrick Caccia (drums).

Described as honest, soulful and passionate, his latest offering - produced, engineered and mixed by Matt Gruber - is an amalgamation of relentless grooves and surprisingly earthy vocals.

'The swampy introduction is kind of a metaphor for the big motor sound coming at you,' said Sardinas of the prophetic opening track, 'All I Need.' 'I wanted the songs to take you on a ride.'

Having long since established his explosive live performance, Sardinas is known for having performed his own amplified version of the Elvis Presley classic. 'Burning Love.'

So it's no surprise he and his fellow band mates worked up a version for Eric Sardinas and Big Motor.

'It's a beautiful and honest song and one I grew up with,' he said. 'The simplicity of the message belies a complexity and that appealed to me.'

That said it remains to be seen whether Big Motor is truly a band or merely a way for Sardinas to promote his latest effort in a way he wasn't able to promote its predecessors : 'Treat Me Right' ('99), 'Devil's Train' ('01) and 'Black Pearls' ('03).

'Eric is single-handedly turning the polite world of acoustic Dobro into a mean sounding machine of blues and rock,' said Eddie Kramer, his onetime producer.

In any case, if in fact he's going to successfully transition his explosive performance into an exhilarating and powerful band, the future is going to have to be less about Sardinas -though critically respected hasn't resulted in commercial appeal - and more about Big Motor.

Local fans will get a firsthand look at the band when they come through Charleston Tuesday for a show at The Pour House.

It won't be his first time to the Lowcountry, but will be his first as a member of a trio as opposed to his previous solo stops.

Keith Ryan Cartwright is a Colorado-based freelance entertainment journalist.