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Chris Farlowe New CD
Chris Farlowe's latest CD Hotel
Einang has a Storm Warning track on it. The track is The Woman? Or
The Blues? The CD should be available in the UK soon. If you want to
hear Chris's version, you can order the CD now by emailing
info@bluescdstore.com
Here is one of the latest
reviews from Something Real;
STORM WARNING - “Something Real”
(Phil Jackson)
Storm Warning is a band that
has obviously absorbed a lot of influences mostly rooted in classic
blues- as it says in the promotional flier a lot of the numbers on
‘Something Real’ sound like standards.
It’s also nice to hear a
keyboard player in a blues band and Ian Salisbury does his fair
share of work adding a synth line here such as on the 7 minute
opener ‘On The Road’ (Very much in the style of Rory Gallagher with
tongue in cheek lyrics- once a bluesman, always a blues man I
suppose!) and an electric piano or piano break there (for example on
‘Charlie’s Blues and ‘Blues 101’ where Bob Moore’s soaring guitar
breaks are also highlights).
One thing I haven’t
mentioned yet is singer Son Maxwell’s harmonica that sounds
fantastic throughout. I was looking forward to hearing the two
longest numbers to see how such a tight and proficient band would
‘fill the space’ and I was not disappointed. The slow burning blues
of the title track is 9:37 is right on the nail and puts succinctly
into words what many of us feel about the shallowness and
sensationalism of the media contrasting it with ‘something I can
use’, something more substantial i.e. the blues! The list of artists
that forms the ‘medication when I need a dose of the truth’ proves
the range of classic influences alluded to in my opening remarks.
The second longest number is
a solid 8:20 rendition of ‘Nothing But Smoke’ played with great
subtlety (But not missing the point!) with some more great guitar
work.
Instrumentally organ is used
more and more as the album progresses to provide some simmering
‘fills’ on the title track and in a more upfront way on the upbeat
‘One Step Forward’, sounding for all the world like a lost Rory
Gallagher classic with Moore on top form on guitar.
Harmonica growls at the
beginning of ‘I Don’t Know’ (then solos later on), the organ is back
(also soloing) and some jazzy guitar accompanies another toe tapper
(with a solo of course!)
Storm Warning are on a
winner here with a classic of blues influences, mostly modern but
also capturing an authentic blues spirit from the past. Their
playing borders on the empathic and the rhythm section of Derek
White and Roger Willis holds the whole thing together well.
I haven’t even mentioned my
own favourite number yet, a kind of antidote to the strident
feminism prevalent in the blues (not unwelcome!) It’s entitled ‘Hard
To Be A Man’ and that is all I need to say.
‘Something Real’ is an
outstanding album of blues rock that demands the widest exposure.
For details of how to buy the CD, go to
The Shop
Storm Warning at Darlington
On the first visit to the
Darlington R&B Club, Storm Warning packed out the club and the band
seem to make a big impression on the crowd. A great response and
hopefully be back in Darlington next year. Pictures from the gig
below; |
