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THE
ELECTRIC BLUES REACTION Album REVIEW |
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01. AIN’T
NO HIDIN' FROM THE BLUES
Length: 47:44 (min:secs) |
Winning the prize for being one of the UK’s best kept secrets, this skilful three-piece blues rock band has somehow remained undiscovered outside of their native homeland along the Herefordshire border with Wales. Taking their inspiration from blues legends like Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Otis Spann and Freddy King, the band reintroduce you to an evocative and familiar sound yet it’s one that’s injected with passion, modernism and served as raw as a blue steak. The album contains eleven original songs of mostly upbeat, heavy electric blues and exhibits some incredible talent and showmanship. Imagine the subtly infused sensibilities of Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, further steeped in Steve Vai fluidity and back blended into traditional amplified blues. Add in a healthy cross genre influence and you’ll get a rough idea of the magic that guitarist Troy Redfern creates. He shares most of the writing duties with drummer Nick Smith who brings a slightly unusual aspect to the band in that he is also the vocalist, and Smith admirably handles both roles with equal power and importance. The vocals are intense and full-on, maybe occasionally a little too harsh but then they always add pleasingly to the impact and unburdened enthusiasm of the music. The drumming is a heavy and robust style that knits perfectly with the bass playing of Stuart McDonald to give a really tight and solid rhythm section. McDonald is something of a blues veteran with a wealth of experience stretching right back to his days in Killing Floor, the legendary British blues band of the late sixties. For a brief flavour of the songs, the title track and opener “Ain’t No Hidin' From The Blues” kicks in with funky attitude and a great hook, closely followed by “Liquor” which is so catchy you’ll become as captivated as an alcoholic with a key to the drinks cabinet. “Cold As Ice” actually turns the heat up, burning with a ballsy Hendrix guitar sound and smouldering further with a sublime solo before “Sorrows” slows things down a little but without relenting any of the intensity, it builds up powerfully and passionately |
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resulting in Redfern’s guitar getting pushed to the point of certain destruction. The album contains welcome variety (particularly for the genre) and this keeps you keen to hear every last song. "Hoodoo Mama” features some great slide guitar, as does “Devil On The Shore” but the latter has a riff that gathers momentum to become so heavy it’s more like Zakk Wylde on an Ozzy album. “Broken” switches to laid back acoustics with a deep southern feel and “Sweet Sweet Lady” is just great heads down blues rock and is so infectious that you’ll need a vaccine to rid it from your system. The Electric Blues Reaction have created an excellent illustration of just how fresh and exciting modern blues can be. With their nicely blended approach of impassioned guitar, empathetic rhythms and authentic lyrical subjects they take you through an experience that combines a respectful look back to tradition while moving those ideas forward for a modern audience. A highly recommended album and a terrific opportunity to shake out those winter blues…
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- Dave Yates (25th February, 2010)  |
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