Emanuel Casablanca - "Blood on My Hands": the debut album of a new great bluesman

Emanuel Casablanca is a Brooklyn-based guitarist, singer, and songwriter with an impressive portfolio, one that includes collaborations with an array of A-list artists, among them bassist and producer Bill Laswell, current Cheap Trick drummer Daxx Nielsen, vocalist Bernard Fowler, and bassist Doug Wimbish of the band Living Colour, and others. In that same vein, he's appeared at a number of prestigious festivals, including the Isle of Wight, South by Southwest, North by Northeast, and the Berlin Music Week.

What’s surprising is that Emanuel is only now making his full-length album debut. And while its title seems decidedly ominous, Blood on My Hands is an impressive showcase for his skills regardless. It follows on the heels of an earlier EP, 2020's It's Getting Strange which scored a wealth of critical kudos and ongoing accolades.

The new album takes his initiative several steps further in that the music tackles themes that are shared from his own personal perspective. often in an auspicious way. The song titles are particularly telling—My Nerves, Shaky Tables, Afraid of Blood, Testify, Devil's Blood and Bloodshot Eyes - and the melodies measure up to those ominous overtures. 

Afraid of Blood kicks the album off with a torrent of noise and thunder. The blustery blues of Sunday Talks, the plodding rhythm of Rottenpockets. and the steady thump of My Nerves convey a decidedly dark impression. Emanuel has claimed that the album is an attempt to excise his demons and find forgiveness for earlier mistakes and misadventures. The gruff delivery that adds such emphasis to Bloodshot Eyes and the aggressive strut and swagger propelling Devil's Blood each attest to the desire and determination.

Given his reputation, Casablanca apparently had no problem enlisting an array of notable musicians to help him fulfill his ambitions. Guitarists Eric Gales, Paul Gilbert, and Albert Castiglia, saxophonist Jimmy Carpenter, and vocalist Kat Riggins contribute their talents to the proceedings, providing Casablanca with both credence and consistency. So, while there’s a decided purpose to his pursuits, it’s his delivery that ensures this album comes across as both daring and distinctive. Taken in tandem, Blood on My Hands provides all the evidence that’s needed.

Lee Zimmerman