JOHN EMMS MUSIC REVIEWS

Nothing grabs your attention more than a good solid road band with chops to spare, and The 24th Street Wailers are that band.

On their new cd Wicked, there is plenty to spare in that Ol’ blues gas tank.

From the blistering title track, to the short hip swing inflections on the instrumental Boones Bounce, over to their Bobby Darrin cover of Love Me Right,  24th Street Wailers walk the walk baby.

Truth be told I can listen to, jump around the room to, or check out the chops on Lindsay Beaver’s songs like I Need You, Aim To Please, or the Emily Burgess’ rocker Solid Ground.

The gig is also Jon Wong’s tenor sax solos ripping through you like good Ol’ Junior Walker, and bassist Mike Archer gets tons of groove with drummer Lindsay Beaver and her superb lead vocals

The band does not push new boundaries in their own blues songwriting.

Instead, the writing is traditional, with enough changes and killer feel to keep the listener on his or her feet.

That is the key . Your enjoying yourself.

Produced and engineered by Billy Horton in Austin Texas, the group has now added piano player Jesse Whiteley

Either way, Wicked is blues deluxe.

JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, online radio host, and blues/roots songwriter with Canadian Rockers THE SHAFTMEN  https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-worlds-gone-crazy/id673101570