AIN’T WASTING TIME Nicky T & The Snake Charmers (independent) *****
If you’re hungry for fine guitar playing then let this album fill you up. Ain’t Wasting Time from Nicky T & The Snake Charmers gets right down to business with a jumpin’ and groovin’ set of blues loaded with graceful playing and natural attitude that go down real good.
Of Nicky’s playing Ronnie Earl, his mentor, says “Nicholas was on my last 5 albums. He is my adopted son and a gifted guitarist.” The rhythm section is a no-nonsense/ no frills mode of locomotion, giving Nicky T exactly the platform he needs to spread his bluesy joy. Ain’t Wasting Time is 11 tracks in all with The Snake Charmers giving a tip of the fedora to those that paved the blues highway before them. There’s Thank You Magic Sam along with inspired versions of BB King’s Guess Who and Bobby “Blue” Bland’s Lead Me On, both of which feature the amazing Greg Nagy on vocals. Rather than leaning on giants, those tracks are proof (to me at least) that this band deserves to play in the big sandbox.
Ain’t Wasting Time’s magic lays in the soul and feeling of the musicianship and singing on the disc. Sympathetic horn charts color many of the songs just so without overpowering, and T’s guitar playing has a BB King feel to it as well. Fellow guitarist, the legendary Anson Funderburgh is a fan, saying “he holds true to the blues tradition with confidence”, adding “I have watched Nicholas grow into his own (as) a great guitar player and singer.” Whether playing the toe-tappers or a slow burning blues like The Glass featuring Ronnie Earl on 2nd guitar and Greg Nagy on vocals, you can feel the truth in Funderburgh’s comments.
When considering some blues albums it can be the guitar, vocals, production or rhythm section that really stands out, but here they really ain’t wasting time…everything works, fits tight with a bit of swing, and delivers a blues experience for the ages. Watch out for this cat and his band, they’ve got the goods with room to spare.
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HOT TRACKS: Mistreating Mama, The Glass (with Ronnie Earl & Greg Nagy), title cut
BECOMING Mare (Forosoco Records LLC) ****
What a personal, smooth-as-silk listening experience this album is. Becoming is deeply personal and Mare is an artist of uncommon skill. With her gospel roots, classical training and powerhouse voice, Mare makes timelessly intimate R&B for the modern age; think Sade meets Alica Keys meets Seal. Stepping out from behind (or beside) people like Lauryn Hill, Sam Smith Lizzo and The Bacon Brothers, the time for this Philly phenom to shine has arrived.
Mare grew up in a devoutly Christian home and this record is an even more confident combination of her gospel roots and the R&B sounds she discovered later in life than was 2020’s Wish Me Well. “I finally found my sound, while simultaneously settling into this new version of myself.” She says. “This album is about letting go of the negative things that don’t align with my life, and having the strength to move forward while opening myself up to new experiences.” Sound and vibe-wise, Becoming is atmospheric and thoughtful. It isn’t an album full of dance floor jams that you might expect from a modern R&B performer hailing from the capital city of soul, it’s a thoughtful inner exploration that invites you to undertake that journey within yourself.
The gospel roots and classical training mentioned above really shine in the 10 songs on Becoming. While I’m more a fan of real instruments as opposed to most of what we hear on this record the synths and drum programming alongside those sparse, delicate piano chords make for a uniquely uplifting feel. Home is about saying goodbye to her old life and Nothing, which opens the album, features stacked gospel harmonies that nod to Mare’s church upbringing. Pearl, following Home, is about wrestling with self-confidence and self-doubt, and Bad Habits is about relationships. There’s also an arresting remake of Heart’s These Dreams.
If you find yourself in the mood for that inner journey, I can’t think of better company than Mare’s Becoming.
HOT TRACKS: Home, Nothing, Bad Habits
FROM HELL I RISE: EXTENDED DELUXE EDITION Kerry King (Reigning Phoenix Music) *****
If you want heavy metal this album is a motherfucker. Thanks to the success of the original release 2 years ago, From Hell I Rise: Extended Deluxe Edition was pretty much a foregone conclusion. After Slayer’s decision to disband in 2019- sporadic live shows not withstanding- Kerry King stepped up to fill the gap in a most satisfying way. This edition contains the original album of course, along with 5 demos that feature King on vocals, and it rules.
I’m not typically into this kind of metal but Slayer, Pantera, Damageplan and now Kerry King are exceptions that offer a cathartic release. King’s riffs are brutally epic, carrying a long-standing tradition from his Slayer days, and not always blast beat stuff either. Production is dense and pulverizing. As one of Slayer’s main songwriters similarities are to be expected, and Slayer drummer Paul Bostaph is along for the ride, providing an ironclad backbeat. “Paul’s kind of like my (Vinny) Appice to Ronnie James Dio” Kerry says. “I knew Paul wanted to be a part of this since 2018.” Other members of the band include bassist Kyle Sanders (Hellyeah) and vocalist Mark Osegueda (Death Angel) a friend of King’s since the early 80’s.
Osegueda’s vocals are intense and yet I can make out the lyrics- that, along with King’s guitar work, is why I’m responding so strongly here. Song topics include war, women’s rights and current American politics; fertile ground to say the least. King never had the itch to go solo, he was creatively satisfied in Slayer, but he thought calling it quits in 2019 was throwing in the towel too soon so From Hell I Rise sounding like Slayer is no accident. “I was writing most of the music anyway, especially at the end” King says. “Things I wrote during Slayer’s lifespan are showing up (here)”, and no doubt there’ll be more on the next album.
If you didn’t catch From Hell I Rise’s initial release in 2024 you’d better jump on this and I mean NOW. If you did grab it, you’ll want this extended deluxe edition for those bonus demo cuts. I’m pumped now… can’t wait to see what King has in store for us next.
HOT TRACKS: Two Fists, Diablo, From Hell I Rise (demo and original version)
