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Current mood:  fermented Category: Music
CD Review
‘Sunday Morning Blues’
Milwaukee Dave
You know that feeling, blues people: music is still great, in fact you can hear last night’s band in your head as you grope for a remotely clean coffee cup, but you don’t particularly want MTV or Steve Wright’s Sunday Morning Love Songs. An easy start to the day with some medical advice would help.
‘Down To The Doctor’ might take the headache away, with its acoustic start and very ‘Crossroads’ harmonica ending wailing away from you. I found myself reaching to turn the volume up as ‘Phone Booth’ slid into my consciousness. There is a lovely acoustic guitar solo in this, one of the nicest I have heard from Mr Milwaukee (or is it Mr Dave?) Even when the pace and power picks up, this one will not cause any heart attacks and it’s worth a listen for the solo alone.
‘Hoochy Coochie Man’ gives us some more of that plaintive harping by Eddie White (with that same tasteful amount of reverb for extra hauntivity) and Dave’s singing is spooky and intimate enough to take you away. Or maybe he should be taken away, I’ve never been sure. The mix is interesting, leaving the vocal on its own for most of a verse to great effect. Where does Milwaukee get that wonderful acoustic guitar sound from? (An acoustic guitar, perhaps, ?)
A version of ‘Stormy Monday’ that I have not heard before was intriguing for its presumable authenticity, while ‘Hey Joe’ is a model of simplicity compared to many other attempts on the Hendrix classic that others have made. It does go a bit Beatley on the fade!
These two in particular show what can be done with a simple approach and equipment to match, if you really know what you are doing.
‘Crossroad Blues’ just had to be there, didn’t it Dave? So did that distant waily harp. Strangely, the vocal reminded me a little of Steve Forbert. I liked the slight liberties taken with the timing towards the end, which gave it a good ‘jamming’ feeling. None of this feels like anything but what it is: a good performer just being himself.
Now we go electric: the coffee kicks in! I happen to know the secret: two pots of ‘Hot Lava Java’ or a song called ‘TheWalk’ from a band called ‘The Downtown Flyers,’ neither of which ever failed to lift one’s spirits. Great sax solo from Steve Webster and some flamboyant playing from Dave throughout. Now we’re waking up and wondering which pub serves the best hair of the dog.
Yess! We’ve found a boozer with the right beer and the band is rocking. First time for a vocal effect: ‘Cruising For A Bruising,’ again with the band, has just enough so you almost hear it. Now we get to hear Dave getting into the meat and two veg of a couple of Strat solos! I won’t spoil it for you by telling you the ending...
Back to acoustic beginnings and a change of pace. ‘Bobby MacGee’ has the Vonda Shepard touch, with an inspired choice of tempo, slide guitar and vocal harmonies. Just time to let it sink in that you’re halfway through that first pint and life is good.
A delightful collection to take you through a precious day off.
GW
VENUE magazine
12:52 PM
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