LIFETIME ON THE RUN/ MY BABY TOLD ME TO John Krupa Project (JK Grooves Records) *** ½
This is the debut single, released as a vinyl 45, from The John Krupa Project. The blueiest of the two cuts, My Baby Told Me Not To, features the great Jason Ricci on harmonica. These songs are the blues with a real Stones feel. The sound is the sum product of experiences lived.
The John Krupa Project is based in New Orleans and includes Maddie Pebble on bass and Brian Wells on drums. Production is basic, maybe even primal, not surprising from a guy that cut his teeth playing punk back east. but that suits the songs very well. Lifetime On The Run is street level rock & roll that pays homage to groups like The Faces and The Rolling Stones, featuring some quite tasty slide work from Krupa. The flipside, My Baby Told Me To is a driving blues with a real Mississippi hill country feel to it, and for my money should be considered the “A” side. These were recorded last summer in New Orleans and mastered for vinyl for maximum sonic output and sound quality.
Krupa may not be the most proficient singer but he has a certain swagger vocally that suits the tunes very well. I’d be real interested to hear what The John Krupa Project could if they were to stretch out into a full album; here’s to hoping.
HOT TRACK: My Baby Told Me To
ON EARTH OR IN HELL Black Absinthe (independent) ****+
ON EARTH OR IN HELL An intriguing release here from these Toronto-based noisemakers. On Earth Or In Hell is a unique blend of thrash and NWOBHM. It’s a classic sound that really takes you someplace else.
Over the course of 3 EP’s and one full length album since 2011, Black Absinthe has performed, recorded and reached new fans with their unique brand of heaviosity. The combination of trash, doom and classic metal elements makes their riff-heavy sound, with a rock steady rhythm section leading the way. I’m hearing elements of Sabbath for sure, and that makes me a happy camper. They are the true definition of a power trio with Jack Cerre handling vocals and guitar, Kyle Scarlett on bass and Fernando Villalobos on drums. I’m not keen on the thrash or black metal vocal style, but the way its employed here is a tasty balance with Cerre’s more tradsitional hard rock singing. Pounding riffs like you here on Call Of The Void really up the ante.
As the band continues to experiment and grow with their sound, combining the aforementioned NWOBHM and contemporary heavy metal sounds, comparisons to admitted influences like Mastodon, Slayer and Motorhead are inevitable and, no doubt, welcome. Maybe throw some Iron Maiden into that mix and NOW we’re talking. On Earth Or In Hell is jammed to the nuts with propulsive, heavy music that is definitely not for the faint hearted. The creative process for the album began in 2020 followed by pre-production demos in 2021. Producer JC Sandoval (The Crooked, We The Crooked) oversaw the entire project. Co-producer was Tyler Williams, and kudos to both for achieving such a heavy, bone crushing sound.
On Earth Or In Hell is definitely not everyone’s cup of tea, but if you’re into having an intense metal experience, this album is definitely for you.
HOT TRACKS: Essentially Fucked, Dead Queen, On Earth Or In Hell
ONE GUITAR WOMAN Sue Foley (Stony Plain) *****
ONE GUITAR WOMAN Sue Foley’s new album is as fresh and invigorating as a cool breeze on a warm spring day. One Guitar Woman is her tribute to the female pioneers of guitar, the women whose music and lives inspired those that followed. It’s just Sue, her guitar and a gentle intimate good time.
One Guitar Woman honors artists across many decades like Elizabeth Cotton, Memphis Minnie, Maybelle Carter and Sister Rosetta Tharpe to name just a few. “They were all massively talented, and they all possessed courage and vision which transformed both their cultures and the story of the guitar” she says in the liner notes. To frame this album amongst more contemporary artists, this feels like a cross between Maria Muldaur and Rory Block as Foley takes on the music of legendary and obscure artists with playful reverence. Other artists’ music encountered here include French classical guitarist Ida Presti, Tejano sensation Lydia Mendoza and the underrated Charo. Along with some lesser known southern blues women.
When she takes the stage, Sue Foley is best known for her pink paisley Telecaster but One Guitar Woman, as the title implies, features the same nylon string acoustic guitar throughout. She demonstrates her mastery of Travis-style fingerpicking, classical, flamenco and more as she gently makes these songs her own. As a singer she has a natural, easy feel and sound… you won’t her reaching for notes at the edge of her range or shouting for emphasis here; Foley sounds comfortable and totally in her element across these 12 tracks.
One Guitar Woman is historically fascinating thanks to the material covered, but it’s also cool and gentle company on a quiet Sunday afternoon as you try escape the hubbub of everyday life, even if just for a little while. An escape hatch like that, my friends, is priceless.
HOT TRACKS: In my Girlish Days, Motherless Child Blues, Romance In A Minor
THE HITS KEEP COMING Rock Estrin & The Nightcats (Alligator) *****+
Another hugely entertaining blues party from Rick Estrin & The Nightcats. The cheekily titled The Hits Keep Coming is an immensely satisfying sampling of Estrin’s particular brand of hip; original blues and vintage rock-style tunes mixed with jazz and rockabilly thrown in make for what Blues Music Magazine calls “the best band in the land.” This album sure makes the case.
Songwriter, blues vocalist and harmonica master Rock Estrin doesn’t like to pat himself on the back for his talents but he sure like to sing the praises for his fearless band. “This band is killer- I’m enjoying this all more than ever” he says. “It’s a blessing… there’s so much energy, so much collaboration. The band is so good right now, and the live show is better than ever.” The Hits Keep Coming is their 6th El Pee and it sure packs a powerful punch, from the songwriting to the musicianship and the lyrics, Estrin’s signature mix of humorous and serious observations.
Rick has a warm, casual vocal style that reminds me a little bit of Leon Redbone, and as a harp player he’s tasty and on the money at all times. Combine that with multi-instrumentalist/ producer Kid Andersen, keyboardist/ bassist Lorenzo Farrell and drummer Derrick Martin, and you have what is arguably the most entertaining band in the blues, both on stage and in the studio. The Hits Keep Coming is modern blues at its best, intense and fun in the right places, one of the best albums you’ll hear in 2024 in this or any other genre. The record is 10 originals plus covers of an obscure Muddy Waters track and a Leonard Cohen number Time For Me To Go) that he probably wishes he’d written. This is an album you call listen to all day long.
Rick Estrin’s attitude when it comes to the stage extends to The Nightcats’ records too. “People don’t go out to see people who look like themselves” he says, “they want to see something special. I was schooled in this business to be a showman, and that’s what you get when you come to see us perform. We know how to put on a show, (and) I feel sorry for anyone who has to follow us.” Truer words were never spoken… The Hits Keep Coming really is somethong special.
HOT TRACKS: Somewhere Else, Time For Me To Go, Diamonds At Your Feet
