Album review: ALLY VENABLE – Real Gone

March 28th, 2023 by GRTR! HQ

Ruf Records [Release date: 24.03.23]

When we reviewed the previous Ally Venable album we suggested that whilst the young guitar slinger/singer/songwriter had made great progress the perfectly formed finish was yet to come. ‘Real Gone’ takes things a step further and shows a growing confidence certainly in the vocal department and perhaps less of a reliance on her main influence Stevie Ray Vaughan.

We saw Ally during the Blues Caravan tour in the UK not long before Lockdown when she also was part of a more integrated band whilst having her own solo showcase. She’s touring in Europe this year, again with Blues Caravan.

There’s no doubt that Ally is visually and aurally appealing to those of a certain age and I can’t help wonder whether she will stray off the blues circuit and ultimately crossover to a wider (younger) rock audience. At least she is then more likely to attract fans (both male and female) nearer her own age. On this latest release only ‘Hold My Ground’ really has this crossover potential.

In spite of their early blues roots her contemporaries such as Erja Lyytinen, Eliana Cargnelutti and even Joanne Shaw Taylor have slipped into a more “mainstream” offering in recent years.

For the moment this is solid southern blues rock from start to finish. The faster paced tunes are punctuated by Venable’s gritty guitar whilst several slower pieces introduce variety with a brass section for ‘Any Fool Should Know’. She’s actually at her most convincing on the more upbeat stuff such as the title track and ‘Kiss Your Ass’ whilst ‘Don’t Lose Me’ introduces a welcome element of southern funk and a brass section.

But it’s on ‘Gone So Long’ that Venable shows a direction that could be further explored, significantly without a modicum of the blues that otherwise permeates the album. Over far too quickly, it should have been expanded with a killer guitar coda. As it is, still a standout.

Production this time is from Tom Hambridge (who also plays drums and co-wrote several tracks) and the perhaps inevitable A-List guest appearances from Joe Bonamassa and Buddy Guy (both of whom have worked with the producer previously).

If anything it’s only the songs and the format’s predictability that might now hold Ally back but ‘Real Gone’ marks a further step in her musical maturity (she is still only 23!) and presages the inevitable arrival of Kevin Shirley. ***1/2

Review by David Randall

Album review (Heart Of Fire, 2021)

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 20 October 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 22 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 28 October 2024

THE RASMUS Rest In Pieces (Better Noise Music)
THE PLAGUE What Else Can I Do (FiXT)
STAR CIRCUS Turn The Tide (indie)
DEFENCES Breathe It In (Long Branch Records)

Featured Albums w/c 28 October 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)