CD Review from Roots Time Belgium August 08
This was sent to us in Dutch so the translation is as close as possible. It is a little difficult to follow. (Bob)
This blues band from Saint Louis, is not an ordinary blues band, they use, as it happens, the devil music to spread the message. You see it already if you undertake their cd. On the cover a church building stands, and the title lies there also for, "Shine A Light" sound that, as it happens. This is real blues, only their texts indicate the direction of the sky, and then still; outside the title song and then following "Testify" indicate nowhere still something on sermons.
Covers such as "Cissy Strut" (The Meters) and "You Was Wrong," the splendid Z.Z Hill soul music song and Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground" for example. All this, with a couple traditionals completes the rest of the ten songs counting the cd. The voice of TOM Wilson, the lead vocalist is strong and soul music-full. Ron Roskowske, the gitarist, (guitarist) many years' gitarist for Soul Bone and still longer at the Macks Creek Band, a group which opened act for many Southern rockers, such as Greg Allman, Grinderswitch, Outlaws and Pure Prarie League. Bob Walther is the bass player, manager and sound engineer of the Kingdom Brothers. Beside these three the band consists of JR Payne, the young drummer, the singer and keyboardist Stan Gill and the second warbler/gitarist (singer/guitarist) Chris Shepherd.
After the strong title song, with which opens the Kingdom Brothers disc, "Testify" are with Chris Shepherd on the vocals to the turn and he shows that he as well as vocalist and gitarist more than can its male stand. (I think that's a compliment-BW) With a jet ear sound which sometimes brings Santana to mind, he makes of this song in a modern way sounding, what poppy blues song, Stan Gill raises that Santana quality still more. The well-known blues traditional "Blind Man" get also an in-depth, modern implementation. Shepherd himself wrote and prayed "Bad Love" jet ear work still a demonstration of its Santana inspiritation, whereas "Higher Ground" of Stevie Wonder the occasion gives to gitarist Roskowske to be southern demonstrater slideklanken.(of slide guitar) In "Turn Around", a song which was written by several band members, sits also with Southern rock influences.
"You Was Wrong" of ZZ Hill have been based on the version of Freddie King from its Texas Canonball cd, still of my favorite bluesplaten. The voice and jet ear of Chris Shepherd go still a good falsely (falcetto?) in "Feel Like Crying", that he also wrote.
The southern slidegeluiden, (slide guitar) with soul music-full vocal of TOMs, reminds you of Terry Evans voice, give "Ain't Nobody Fault But Mine" an environment and sound that we were familiar of Ry Cooder best prerecordings, without doubt also the best song of this disk.
The instrumental New Orleans klassieker (classic) of The Meters "Cissy Strut" gets real Allman Brothers sounded, and decides this way that "Shine A Light" of the Kingdom Brothers on more than convincing manner. You would convert you for less. Hallelujah! (RON) www. rootstime. be
