Tinsley Ellis has had enough of being cooped up inside as a result of COVID-related gig cancellations. Devil May Care is the result of his defiant declaration to record new music during his downtime and just get out there, come what may. Just as the colorful album cover depicts, this high-flying blues daredevil holds nothing back with his carefully selected choice of original material, culled from a large batch of tunes crafted during the pandemic that crippled the live music industry.
Kevin McKendree does double duty as producer and piano/organist. With Steve Mackey on bass, Lynn Williams on drums, Jim Hoke on saxophone, and Andrew Carney on trumpet, this formidable band provides exactly the right amount of firepower Ellis needs to get his guitar in high gear.
The disc kicks off with One Less Reason, a Green Onions-flavored shuffle with harmonized guitar intro, followed by Tinsley's gritty vocals that fans have all come to expect. He saves the best for last when his solo really heats up on the outro vamp, as he flamethrows a solo over the harmonized intro.
Right Down the Drain is a slinky tune about a woman who wiped him out-he com-pares his addiction to her to cocaine, and says he lost both fame and money-“l once felt like superman.” The real highlight of this tune, though, is the fierce guitar battle between Gibson ES-335 slide and hot single-note lead lines from the battered Fender Stratocaster. It's literally Tinsley vs. Tinsley-and, predictably, they both emerge victorious.
Just Like Rain is a gorgeous, laid-back ballad that has a serious southern Georgia feel. In fact, the melody is built very much like a tune that Gregg Allman would have been quite comfortable crooning on. And, while we're at it, Tinsley’s captivating solo has all the melismatic charm of both Duane and Dickey. Pound for pound, it’s one of the most articulate performances Ellis has ever delivered.
He picks up the pace again with Beat the Devil, a minor-key blues that is right in his wheelhouse. Sax and trumpet jabs punctuate the background as Ellis tries to outwit the devil himself in the game of love. Meanwhile, McKendree lurks and prowls on a thick, gargling B3 organ. Tinley’s brief but crisp closing solo brings it on home.
Don't Bury Our Love, tells of a man who’s desperately clinging to fading relationship, the painful paean delivered in a slow, sultry 6/8 swing. ‘'You buried our love down in the clay; it’s not gone, but you’re treatin’ it that way.”
Juju features both acoustic piano and organ from Kevin McKendree, flowing underneath a brief but tasty Allman-flavored slide guitar solo as Tinsley decries, “That juju you used ... oh, it’s killing me!” The juicy trades between Tinsley’s classic slide riffs and McKendree’s pounding acoustic piano are reminiscent of the legendary exchanges between Betts and Leavell on Brothers and Sisters of 1973.
The horns of Carney and Hoke propel the energetic, Hendrixian hook of the tune Step Up before Tinsley cools things down as he follows the piece with One Last Ride-a tune that really captures just how much of an excellent blues architect Ellis is when it comes to constructing climactic solos.
Ellis gets an exceptionally sweet guitar tone (further enhanced with a soulful wah- wah pedal) he charges through the funky romp of 28 Days. The lyrics are equally as enticing: “My nasty little habit turned into a lifetime of sin-twenty-eight days without you 'bout to do me in.”
Slow Train to Hell is the absolute tour de force that we were all waiting for. As Ellis lets the honey drip from his fingertips, his tear-stained voice matches every bit of emotion captured in his slow, smoky solo. It’s the perfect anti-climax to close this showcase of an album.
Kevin McKendree has once again worked his magic at his Rock House recording studio in Franklin. Tennessee. After being absent from the road for two years, Ellis serves up a dish that fully replenishes the spirit, just as the music was intended to do.
0 comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.