Provogue Records
On Sale Now
Joe Bonamassa is a guitarist who can do very little wrong in my book. His latest release is entitled Dust Bowl, and it shows no let up in quality from a man who has reached the ripe old age of 34. Can it be eleven years since his solo debut A New Day Yesterday hit record stores in the year 2000?
Part of the album was recorded, as before with Black Rock, in the magnificent setting of the Greek Island of Santorini (Black Rock Studios). Joe has continued his collaboration with Producer Kevin Shirley, and also recorded this time in Malibu (The Cave), Nashville (Ben's Studio) and in Los Angeles (The Village).
I've heard it said that this album is a real return to form after Black Rock, but I cannot agree with that at all. For me it is a continuation of the form and the delight and distinction that any Joe Bonamassa release seems to bring. The results of the hours put in this time, I have to say, are incendiary.
The album commences with Slow Train, reminding me of a Casey Jones type locomotive chugging through the desert weaving in and out of dusty mountains with a huge, hazy, red sun hanging in the distance. Genius - and a perfect start. Right from the very beginning of this recording vocally, Joe is right on the money continuing on to the second song and atmospheric album title track. The immediately recognisable voice of John Hiatt is up next on Tennessee Plates together with Vince Gill on guitar. This song is a real rock and rolling toe tapper and I can see my grandparents dancing in the parlour (sorry kitchen) to this one. A little bit too much poetic licence here maybe, but I hope you get the picture. It's such a fun song telling a great story.
Out comes the Fender Strat on The Meaning Of The Blues, written by Lean Worth & Bobby (Route 66) Troup. It was originally recorded by Julie London in 1957 and Joe totally gives this song the justice it deserves. He has said there was a lot of interplay between him and the drummer Anton Fig on this song, and this is much in evidence as it progresses.
In Black Lung Heartache we have one of Dust Bowl's highlights. A Greek Baglamas and some great sounding slide combine perfectly with Bouzouki and Tzouras. Greek instruments? Yes. All played by Joe? Of course. And he wrote the song too, after having been inspired by the rescue of the Chilean Miners in 2010.
Joe riffed up the next song, Little Walter's blues masterpiece You Better Watch Yourself. It features that Strat again together with a Crybaby Wah. Big and Beefy.
Lyrically Joe really excels on this release too and nowhere is this more prevalent than on the next song The Last Matador of Bayonne. Bayonne is actually in South Western France and Matadors and Bullfighting are unusual concepts for a blues rock guitarist to play, write and sing about. However, this works exceptionally well and Joe and Producer Kevin Shirley have woven some subtle Trumpet provided by Tony Cedras into the mix too.
Heartbreaker is next up. Not of the Led Zeppelin but of the Free variety. This features a Les Paul and a certain Glenn Hughes, Joe's bandmate from Black Country Communion. Joe has said that Glenn's cameo vocal on this song was "unreal" and I second that. Glenn is no stranger to the blues and he fits in perfectly here.
image credit © christie goodwin
The songs on this album fit together really well and No Love On The Street slots in nicely as the ninth song on the disc. What amazes me about Joe is that he is not afraid to throw unusual choices into his recordings. No Love On The Street is written by Tim Curry (remember the movie "Legend" anyone?) and Michael Kamen. Strong vocals here are brilliantly performed by Beth Hart and there's also one of the Blues' best friends the Hammond Organ thrown in for good measure too.
As we near the latter stages of the album, there is absolutely no chance of it failing the quality control test. The Whale That Swallowed Jonah is a lively, uptempo number which would have me up and out of my seat dancing any day. Master of the Hammond Organ Reese Wynans is added to the album's guest list on this number.
image credit © christie goodwin
Vince Gill features (for the second time on the album) playing and singing on the penultimate song Sweet Rowena. Vince wrote this with his regular writing partner Pete Wasner and it's another fun song with Joe and Vince sharing the songs equal vocal and guitar opportunities.
The twelfth and last song on Dust Bowl is Prisoner. Ever remember seeing the movie "The Eyes Of Laura Mars"? Well this song believe it or not was the love theme for that film. An unlikely choice for Joe to include perhaps? Not really, especially when Kevin Shirley is involved. He had a hand in choosing this song apparently, and he really seems to encourage artists to push themselves as far as possible thereby producing their best works in the process. This song really closes the album well and leaves me salivating for the next Joe Bonamassa solo release.
Rob Pope
Guitarist TV
Joe Bonamassa links:
Joe's website:
http://jbonamassa.com/
Black Country Communion website:
http://www.bccommunion.com/
Joe Public Relations:
Noble PR
image credit © christie goodwin
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