Post Description

If you still feel the old question ‘Can white men play the blues’ has credibility, read no further and certainly, whatever else you do, don’t purchase this album. If though, like me, you know that white men can play the blues, you will in all probability love this recording. The saying that ‘country music is the white man’s blues’ also briefly comes into play on this incredible album!  
All twelve songs were written by Fitz and Cara although one, Company Underground is a famous Irish poem, written by Frank McNamara, to which they added music and all twelve are absolutely essential listening. With the contrast between their two vocal sounds, it is difficult to know what is coming next but you can be assured it is an excellent song and a tremendous performance. Fitz’s mastery of the guitar, in particular the resonator is as good as pretty much anyone you will hear nowadays and his raw emotive vocals are a perfect foil for Cara’s, whilst Cara, as well as her gorgeous powerful vocals, also handles drums, washboard, flute and tin whistle! I thought a fife was used on a couple of songs but presume now that it was tin whistle and the deeper tone of the flute, but this does still maintain the connection to ‘fife and drum’ music. Their signature sound, apart from the tremendous vocals, is Fitz’s powerful driving guitar sound allied to Cara’s forceful bass drum beat,  with the whistle and flute adding a little tenderness and variety. 
              Every song is worthy of mention but space and time dictates that this is not possible so I’m just going to pick a few! Album opener Power is a perfect start and description. There is a fife (or tin whistle!) and drum and guitar introduction then Cara’s powerful vocals let loose and just when you think a peak is reached she goes up a further notch with Fitz stoking the fire! This is followed by Eliza Blue, a deep blues with Cara’s vocal accompanied by Fitz’s melodic chiming guitar. It is beautifully slow and moody with a deep resonant bass drum thump and allows Cara to show that her vocals carry an air of melodic power even when showing restraint. Play Me Something New is almost a Tom Waitsian song circa Heartattack & Vine but a much deeper blues with some name checks of classic old bluesmen and with Fitz’s deep raw vocals and melodic guitar sound providing perfectly blended contarasts! Go Daddy evokes the fife and drum songs of old and almost transports the listener back over a century but with Cara’s tremendous vocals and Fitz’s unusual guitar sound as a bonus, but for me the most enjoyable song on the album is the beautiful Rusty River. On this tremendous song there is a gorgeous folksy vocal from Cara supported by hugely atmospheric banjo on a song more evocative of old time fron porch ‘hillbilly’ music than blues, with lovely fife (or tin whistle!) again adding to the atmosphere. A stunning song that on it’s own makes the album well worth buying but when you add the other eleven songs into the equation ensures there is very little doubt that this will be blues album of the year! 
             This is an incredibly powerful hard driving blues recording played and sung with a large amount of fire and originality. Contemporary but at the same time as old as the hills!

Tracklisting:
01. Power (4:32)
02. Eliza Blue (2:51)
03. Absent Eyes (3:32)
04. Company Underground (2:11)
05. Play Me Something New (3:02)
06. Go Daddy (3:31)
07. Tarni Lee (3:03)
08. Wiley Ways (2:43)
09. Hold My Hand (3:52)
10. Sine (3:11)
11. Red Rattler (5:19)
12. Rusty River (5:09)

Extra Informatie:
Aantal Discs: 1xCD
Genre: Blues, Country
Format: MP3 @ 320kbit
Year of Release: 2012
Speelduur: 43 minuten
Cover: Front is in de RARs verwerkt