shaftmen new cd..paycheque blues..thrills fans

Best BLUES ROCK cd I have heard this year..period

I put it on at our party..”EVERYONE..just loved it..they said wow who are these guys? 

BLUES SCHOOL just rips–you guys mention all of my fave blues heroes thank you

I drive big rigs..and that song..25 TONS is a  big rig rockin anthem”

“my wife and I love your cover of JIMMY REED’S Bright Lights Big City

we are big fans of JACK DE KEYZER..and now you guys,..he did a great job….producing you guys…..wow

NORTH WIND BLUES..when I hear that track I think of Rory Galallgher..he would have loved that slow blues

pete yorn/new..cd review/back and fourth

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THIS ALBUM  has it’s place for me this summer. Yet, SUMMER albums for me  are not what they used to be.  Sure, I will get back into my Blue Rodeo laments.  I’ll  tap the Van Morrison into the six pack cd changer, and last week I took Yorn’s latest for a spin. 

Maybe I’m too busy , maybe I want to dig deeper into heartbreak. Maybe it’s easier to sing the blues

Maybe as Yorn sings in Paradise Cove ” I got what I wanted and It’s never enough, And that could be bad for us both” Yeah that’s the one for me.

Relationships are at the heart of this record.  On the track Close and the more uptempo Last Summer Yorn yearns for the newness of an old relationship. but so do we all.

Listen this is not a rock record. In fact it simmers, but there is plenty of passion. Long Time Nothing New is the prime example.  It’s the good downer stuff. Plenty of imagery swashes and drifts.

Just let your mind take over on a long drive.

Heck, if your really thinking about the one that got away Don’t Wanna Cry will take you out to that sea of heartbreak.

Look it’s like this.  “Same old town, Loose ends surround me, Always drags you down”..That’s Yorn talking baby, but he’s in the ballpark

john e

duke robillard/review..stomp the blues tonight

Let’s face it Robillard has forgot more about blues music than most younger musicians currently know. That’s a stone cold fact.

As a throwback to his days with ROOMFUL OF BLUES, this disc proves to be very worthy.

With the  updated engineering of today coupled with Duke’s killer feel you might think you’re in some smoky club mid fifties but with the perfect seat, and nice clean ambience to boot. I’m talkin’  smack dab in your living room folks!!

The  material is mostly from the 1940’s and 50’s, and with the players all of Robillard alumni, the actual recording comes off as musicians totally in sync with the project.

In short they all love this stuff! That’s the trick folks.

Johnny Watson’s 3 Hours Past Midnight is a prime example of  how good the band and cd sounds. Nothing is forced and Duke whips off one of those ringing pure vibrato single note type solos, that are so good it makes you smile from ear to ear.

Elsewhere the horns play charts that anchor up the  melodies of Baby You Don’t Know and Do Me Right, and simply swing like hell on the title track written by Robillard 

I ’m not in love with all 16 tracks for one reason only.

If Duke had cut this cd back to 10 or 12 songs it would have been more  like an old vinyl album experience.

Other highlights are Look But Don’t Touch with Sunny Crownover,   the Ike Turner jump of Tore Up and the much recorded Early In the Morning, done here with real class.

Standout chops throughout the disc from drummer Mark Teixeira, sax guru Doug James, basssit Marty Ballou and Bruce Bears on piano.

You can’t fake this stuf baby, and that’s what makes this disc so vital.

bob dylan together through life reviewed

ronnie earl AND THE BROADCASTERS cd review living in the light

REJOICE..THIS  album  may change the way you listen to blues.  It is that powerful.

The soul and feel it is simply mindblowing. Following up his  successfull Hope Radio Sessions cd and dvd releases on Stony Plain Records Earl is in a a very reflective and engaging work ethic

Earl and the band’s cover of Bob Dylan’s What Can I do for You sung by Dave Keller is the most poignant and soul serching track you will hear this year.  Earl’s winding guitar solo at the end the track  is breathtaking.

Elsewhere the disc deals out around 5 gorgeous instrumentals the best being Pastorale which closes the album and two long  tracks SOS and Recovery Blues both showing the sheer dynamics and feel of the BROADCASTERS as a band.

Not enough can be said about the way this group interpets the songs. IT IS OUTSTANDING

EARL’S guitar work has always reminded me of the way Mike
Bloomfields’s work got under your skin. yes, it’s that GOOD

Kim Wilson drops into the mix for 3 tracks the most notable being the 9 nminute opus Child of a Survivor where he and the band push, pull and get reflective on the homage to the events of the very real Jewish holocaust. This  album will move you…john emms

ted nugent reviewed motor city mayhem blu-ray

This disc kicks major ass. The reason is simple.

Nobody has more fun than ‘THE NUGE’..this guy just lives to play rock n roll. It’s in every facial nuance, and every lick from start to finish. The other real kick is Nugent can still rip on the guitar. This thing is a weapon in his hands.

Filmed on July 4 2008, it’s Nuge’s 6000th show..yeah six thousand. If that was not enough this is 3 piece set for the most part. Mick Brown on drums and Greg Smith on bass know Nugent’s every move. it’s so tight it’s scary.

Sure you’ve heard all the tracks before.  Cat Scratch Fever, Free For All, Weekend Warrior, Wango Tango. but hell these are killer versions. Derek St Holmes joins Ted for Stranglehold, Hey Baby and of course Cat Scratch Fever and Johnny Bee Badanjek rips up the Mitch Ryder classic Jenny Take A Ride

If you can have this much passion after 40 years, I say bravo Tedster..ripping

john emms..for emm srock reviews

lucinda williams rodney crowell reviewed

roy rogers split decision review

commander cody new review..now here

HELLO everyone..all of my new cd & dvd reviews that were part of the Timmins Daily Press rock report reviews will now be copy here..and published online. My ROCK REPORT will still be available at timminspress.com but will work more on regional and local levels
Whatever you do pick up the Commander’s new disc. THIS DISC IS FUN..you know it by the title. Killer tracks and some remakes..ROLL YER OWN, They Kicked me out of the Band, the classic Wine Do Your Stuff, and Ok Hotel are standouts .  Outstanding recklesss boogie, outlaw country and plain good ol rock n roll await youw

new disc dopers, drunks and everyday losers next at the rock report

new album soon/kudo’s to cbc radio

we are taking our time with the new album..our producer..and all round cool guy Jack De Keyzer is mixing it..there is no rush..but I have to say CBC National  has been amazing to THE SHAFTMEN.

our debut…MINING THE BLUES..had amazing exposure..on Galaxie Blues and CBC Radio one..with Points North..Saturday Night Blues…the songs are simply dangerous on the new one..watch out..it will be called PAYCHEQUE BLUES

john e

jeff beck reviewed dvd live at ronnie scott’s