While UK based guitarist LAURENCE JONES is related to the Blues scene, his new album ”Bad Luck & The Blues” is definitely more rock than blues. If you’re looking to liven up your workout soundtrack, this record will get that heart rate up. If you’ve past the days of working out, you might need a blood pressure cuff handy.
”Bad Luck & The Blues” represents a retro effort by Jones back to his teenage years, when he pick up a guitar inspired by rock n’ roll giants like Gary Moore, Robin Trower and Jimi Hendrix. For this album he did it in a power-trio way, accompanied by bassist Jack Alexander Timmis (Virgil & The Accelerators) and drummer Ash Sheehan (Glenn Hughes, Tony Iommi).
This is a fiery chunk of classic style rockin’ blues that reminds forcibly of Juggernaut era Frank Marino, with a hybrid of Anvils’ lips and Doug Pinnick from Kings X on vocals.
The album’s title track ‘Bad Luck & The Blues’ serves as the anthemic opening track plenty of fiesty licks and chops pumping frets in good order, while darker, more somber moods surface in the Sabbath-esque ‘I’m Gone’. Then there’s ’80s metal riffs in ‘Take Control’, a smokin’ track.
Track 4, ‘Don’t You Leave Me This Way‘, has a 70s prog intro into a grinding blues riff adding extra flavour to the musical feast. ‘Lost And Broken‘ has some metal/rock arrangements with guitar leads eerily reminiscent of Ty Tabor from Kings X.
‘Stuck In The Night‘ has a great riff and it’s driven by big dirty balls of sound. This is actually a good workout album, with the music hefting heavy steel. ‘Woman‘ has another fine steroid jacked up riff and great rhythmic work.
As a touring artist, this album has some real bangers to take on the road. With some strong support slots / festivals Laurence Jones has the ability to not only reach the Blues aficionados, but also a Rock audience as well.
Highly Recommended
Tracklist:
01. Bad Luck & The Blues (04:09)
02. I'm Gone (04:28)
03. Lonely Road (03:44)
04. Don't You Leave Me This Way (05:10)
05. Lost & Broken (03:15)
06. Stuck In The Night (03:37)
07. Take Control (02:32)
08. Out In The Distance (04:13)
09. Woman (03:29)
10. You're Not Alone (03:27)
Laurence Jones – Bad Luck & The Blues (2023)
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