BLUES ROCK has been a huge part of THE SHAFTMEN’S sound..since the beginning….. exactly like some of their fave artists STATUS QUO AND BUDDY GUY
FROM THEIR LATEST CD..IT’S NORTH COIUNTRY BLUES
Archive for September, 2014
I will be reviewing both new cd’s by BOB SEGER and JEFF HEALEY.. DUE IN EARLY OCT
You can check out my other reviews of Jeff Healey on this blog….
JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, radio host and founding member of CANADIAN BLUES ROCKERS..THE SHAFTMEN
CHECK OUT…………..their music here
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/paycheque-blues/id365389443
JOHN’S RADIO SHOW..ROCKS HERE
Simply put, Bryan Adams sings his butt off on his new cd Tracks Of My Years his first studio album in six years.
For starters, Adams’ superb take on Bobby Hebb’s often covered song Sunny has a soulful strut that just kills.
It may surprise a lot of people but Adams vocal work is the key to this album, and one listen to his organic version of Don Gibson’s/Ray Charles I Can’t Stop Loving You will knock people out, it’s that good.
The Beatles Anytime At All has a superb jangly John Lennon feel, while his cover of Bob Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay has a gorgeous dry vocal track right up front.
Produced by Adams, David Foster, and Bob Rock the deluxe version of the cd has 16 tracks..
Mostly mid tempo to ballads are here but Adams however does come off well when he rips Chuck Berry’s Rock N’ Roll Music while also doing a very solid take on the John Fogerty/CCR classic Down on the Corner.
It’s hard to top Carl Wilson’s original vocal on the Beach Boys God Only Knows, but this mostly only piano/slide guitar enhanced take has tons of feel and a very cool introverted chord progression a bit on the jazz side
Of the new songs the excellent She Knows Me written with Jim Vallance sounds like it could have come off his 2008 effort Bryan Adams 11.
Of course, not everything works and some hard core Adams fans will bemoan the fact that Adams could have kicked a little more ass.
Others will be puzzled by Adams versions of Help Me Make It Through The Night and Never My Love both easily two of the most covered songs in pop history.
But on both, Adams vocal work is on the money.
Worldwide Adams fans are waiting on his new album work with Jeff Lynne, and hoping it will rock as hard as Reckless and Waking up the Neighbours.
In the meantime, this is a classy organic piece of work.
JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, and is the singer-songwriter of Canadian Roots/Blues rock band THE SHAFTMEN..Check out their music on Apple iTunes
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-worlds-gone-crazy/id673101570
You can find John’s rocking radio show here
CHECK OUT THE TITLE TRACK FROM OUR THIRD ALL ORIGINAL CD..HERE
CHECK OUT THE VIDEO..HERE
ROCK THIS SHOW..
CHECK OUT THE SHAFTMEN..FEATURING JOHN
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/paycheque-blues/id365389443
21
Sep
14
BEST OF JOHN EMMS RADIO..MIDNIGHT RAMBLER..BACK TO 2010..KEITH RICHARDS, JOHNNY DEPP, RORY GALLAGHER
JOHN WILL BE PUBLISHING SOME OF HIS BEST OF RADIO EPISODES..THIS IS KILLER FREE RADIO..JUST CLICK
For all the right reasons Canadian guitarist JW-Jones’ new album Belmont Boulevard may be considered his breakthrough into major US markets.
Working with noted Grammy winning producer/songwriter/drummer Tom Hambridge the pair have fashioned an album that is modern sounding without losing it’s traditional core.
The first track Love Times Ten blasts out of the speakers with gritty guitars, solid vocals and a big American R & B/ Rock sound.
From there, things go Louisiana way when JW whips up the Bobby Charles classic Watch Your Step, before delving into what sounds like Memphis meets Canada on Blue Jean Jacket, snapping out a killer guitar solo on the coda.
Elsewhere, Thank You owes a lot to the Fabulous Thunderbirds mid 80’s sound and What Would Jimmie Do completes the homage to Jimmie Vaughan.
Cocaine Boy is very experimental and introspective and may throw listeners for a loop, while Magic West Side Boogie is an instrumental guitar workout half Bo Diddley/half Jimmy Thackery riffarama.
The flip of those two songs is the Hambridge penned If It Feels This Good Tomorrow. It features a gorgeous Jones vocal and is easily the album’s most radio friendly cut.
Elsewhere Jones modernizes Buddy Guy’s What’s Inside You with stand out Hammond B-3 work from Reese Wynans and gets a good snap your head groove going on his own Never Worth It.
Breaking into a huge US market where diverse stars like Tommy Castro, Damon Fowler and Roy Rogers draw huge is not easy.
JW-Jones has always had the dedication and the chops. This album gets him a winning hand and he is likely to bet on it!
This excellent cd will be available Oct 14th in the US and Oct 7th in Canada.
JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, and singer-songwriter with Canadian blues rock/roots artists THE SHAFTMEN
https://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/the-worlds-gone-crazy/id673101570
John is a free-lance journalist with Sun Media and you can check out John’s roots/blues radio show here
