Reviews roundup – Cameron Blake vs. Black Magic Johnson vs. Ian Siegal vs. Rockamama vs. Metacordium
CAMERON BLAKE
Alone On The World Stage
Silver Slant
Never heard of him. Which is my loss, as this is a cracking record. He’s been around since 2009 with his own singer / songwritery slant on all things folk, and this is an album that is timeless in its style, and one which would have sat happily in the Laurel Canyon vibe of the seventies.
His voice is rich and resonant, and his guitar playing isn’t far behind. Add that to some excellent songs, which veer between life, love and politics, and it’s irresistible in the main. Granted, you may not agree with everything he has to say, but he has a melodic way of saying them, which prevents the teeth from grinding too much.
Songs like ‘Rise And Shine’, ‘Welfare State’ and ‘North Dakota Oil’ will appeal to the Springsteen / Dylan fans out there, but it’s when he looks inside that it all works best, with ‘Home Movie’ the album highlight. An album you really should take a listen to.
BLACK MAGIC JOHNSON
Walk With You Baby
independent
A blues band from the the Illinois version of my hometown should be a blast, as so it proves with Black Magic Johnson, who’ve been on the go for 15 years now, sharing the stage with the likes of Koko Taylor and Lonnie Brooks while they pump out their own brand of Chicago blues with a Delta twist.
And they’re good at what they do, which is just as well considering they’re the official blues band of the Springfield Milers Motorcycle Club. Which sounds like the sort of gig you don’t want go get wrong. So hats off to songwriter Reggie Britton who also handles vocals, drums and harmonica, along with Alex Rogers on guitar and mandolin, guitarist Dan Grover, keyboard man Lawrence Baulden and bass player Willie Christmon for a job well done.
As mentioned above it’s mainly Chicago blues, but they can get funky and throw in some country licks, as they soundtrack a great night out on tunes like ‘Magic Man’, ‘Hooked On Something’ and ‘Who Dat’. Blues how I like it.
IAN SIEGAL
One Night In Amsterdam
Nugene
Thankfully, not a flashback to the eighties, this sees us sticking with the blues as we take a listen to the second live album from Ian Siegal in a year, following on from “A Man And His Guitar”. But, whereas that was an acoustic gig, this sees Siegal leading his hard rocking outfit in fine fettle.
I must admit that I’m not a fan of his voice on his studio sets, but there is something about a live performance that brings out something a bit extra. So, this is a rare treat, as he pushes himself in front of a live audience. Musically, it’s still a mix of country licks ala Albert Lee and rootsy rocking blues. His band these days is a European outfit comprising Raphael Schwiddessen (drums), Danny Van’t Hoff (bass), and the slendidly named Dusty Ciggaar on lead guitar, and they’re as tight as the proverbial whatsit.
There are a lot of highlights including the country tinged opener, ‘I Am The Train’, the great guitar work on ‘Queen Of The Junior Prom’ and a great version of the Everly Brothers ‘Love Hurts’. An excellent offering from a class act.
ROCKAMAMA
Rockamama
independent
Off to Brazil now for some blues rock and, whadda ya know, it’s a wee cracker. Well, it is if you remember bands like Junkyard and the Four Horsemen from way back when. A time when it seemed as though blues rock boogie was going to break big.
And it’s the first Junkyard album that this reminds me of most, with songs like ‘Alcohol’, ‘Keep Rubbin’ and ‘Crazy Lady’ designed for drinking too much in a dingy basement bar. Well, that was my eighties and this brought back a lot of happy memories, so kudos to Rockamama.
They also make some nods to the world of seventies classic rock, but it’s when they get down and dirty that it all works best. A very pleasant surprise.
METACORDIUM
Mas Alla de los Acordes
independent
Over the border to Peru now, and thankfully the military standoff of 1904 seems to have been averted, and Alto Purús is now the largest protected area in Peru.
Meanwhile, in Lima, back in 2003, the brothers Hiroshi and Kenjiro decided to form a band. The first attempt didn’t work out, but 2009 saw them having another go, but it was with the arrival of new guitarist Emilio in 2011 that saw them pushing on, leading to this album.
And it’s a mix of classic hard rock, modern metal, a bit of prog metal and some post grunge that makes this interesting rather than essential. They’re certainly good musicians, but it’s a wee bit all over the place. When they stick to the more straightforward fare, it works best, and at least they appreciate the heritage of rock by bringing back the bikini.
You can check out the obligatory desert based video here;
while admiring the none more Slash poses of Emilio. Let’s Rawk!
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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