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Independent [Release date: 02.12.22]
Fifth album from one of the UK’s lesser known Rock’n'Blues outfits, Gerry Jablonski and The Electric Band. (Not their one hundred and fifth).
Looking at the band’s incessant touring schedules, it’s a surprise they had time to go into the studio to record this material. Headline slots at the HRH Blues festival, The Rory Gallagher Festival and sell out shows at the Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival put them on the radar of many genre fans.
Plus endless slogs through the UK and Eastern Europe (they’re just coming off a 22 gig tour, and by the looks of it they’ve squeezed a few more unannounced appearances into North Of Scotland venues this month).
No surprise then that road miles have turned them into a tight, tight outfit.
In places the emphasis is clearly on Rock, which might disappoint some blues fans, but it’s an album of exceptional maturity and mastery of the bluesrock brief.
“Music and art should reflect the world we live in and right now the world feels dark and heavy!”. So says Jablonski. He’s referring to the Russia / Ukraine conflict. The band use this tragic turn of events and its fallout as the fulcrum around which their songwriting spins.
The raw, Hendrixian ‘Broken Stones’ and ‘Strange Love’ are both sharp, well observed narratives that describe the state of the UK and the wider world today. These are rough, riff heavy rock songs, pierced by a very emotive, very detailed harmonica wail that plays like lead guitar.
‘Heavy Water’, ‘Tiny Thoughts’ and the first single ‘Goddam’ are constructed and presented in much the same manner. Each takes aim at societal flaws, usually on a global scale.
There’s clearly a communicative skill and energy to these and other songs. But sometimes they lack the sophistication needed to translate protest into sought after rock’n'roll. ***
Review by Brian McGowan
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09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023
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14:00-16:00 KATARINA PEJAK – Pearls On A String (Ruf Records)
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