JOHN EMMS MUSIC REVIEWS

Accessible, rootsy, and tasteful Colin James  has always managed to succesfully bridge the gap between blues rock, soul and R & B.

Along with  American modern day blues rock artists like Joe Bonamassa and perhaps Tommy Castro James finds himself at the helm of a very successful career.  His latest disc Take It from The Top a best of cd culled from his blues rock years (with two new songs added) proves that James was and still is an intensely credible artist

In fact, the new track It’s Gonna Be Allright produced by Bob Rock and co-written by James is a no frills blues rock riff fest that will blow you out of the room. The other new track is a cover of the Buddy Miles hit Them Changes recently covered by Eric Clapton and Steve Winwood among many others.

There are 17 songs on this cd and yes you get all the big songs like Just Came Back, Five Long Years and Voodoo Thing. However it’s the exceptional lesser known songs like Make a Mistake, the incredible rock gem Stay and his cover of Van Morrison’s Into the Mystic that show his full range.

James’ is now working on a new cd due out much later this year.

Like a well know fighter ready to prove himself once again his next cd will be an important step in his career. 

Hearing the blues rock vibrancy of  James’ new track It’s Gonna Be Allright is exciting.

In conjunction with this feel and also going back to his wicked cover of the then unknown Morgan Davis’ song Why’d You Lie,  the time is ripe for James to find more blues inspiration.

Lesser known blues rock tracks like Tinsley Ellis’s Speak No Evil, The Shaftmen’s 25 Tons, Jack De Keyzer’s If I Had Your Love or even the Rocky Athas track Miracle all would offer great insight for James as to what other blues rock artists have been keeping up their collective  blues sleeves.

James is currently on tour in parts of Canada to support this stellar release.

JOHN EMMS is a musician and veteran music journalist. He also hosts his own popular blues rock and roots show  http://emms.podbean.com/