Reviews roundup – Scott Ellison vs. Keep Calm And Salute The Beatles vs. Lunden Reign vs. Josh Garrett Band vs. The Dreaming Spires
SCOTT ELLISON
Elevator Man
Red Parlor
Scott Ellison has been on the go for a long time, releasing albums since 1993, having previously worked with the likes of The Shirelles, Marvelettes, The Drifters, The Coasters, and Gary “US” Bonds, but it was only last year that I first heard him when a single of ‘Jesus Loves Me (Baby Why Don’t You)’ popped through my letterbox.
It was absolutely brilliant, and is still firmly lodged in my favourites playlist. So I was delighted when this full length album arrived, so I could see whether it was a flash in the pan or not. Well it wasn’t because this is a really good release. He hails from Tulsa, Oklahoma but it was after relocating to Los Angeles that he picked up shifts with the names above, before forming his own band, touring with the Joe Cocker, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Leon Russell, and Buddy Guy.
It’s an apprenticeship that served him well, as he can sing, play and write. This time around he’s teamed up again with producer Walt Richmond, Eric Clapton’s keyboard player on Eric’s last 5 CD’s and together they have put together a really strong set of songs and performances with the highlights including the aforementioned ‘Jesus Loves Me (Baby Why Don’t You)’, ‘Holler For Help’ and the title track which features one Marcy Levy on background vocals.
It’s a real treat of an album and one that blues fans should be checking out.
VARIOUS
Keep Calm And Salute The Beatles
Purple Pyramid
I’m still having cold sweats thinking about the horror of the recent MusiCares Tribute to Paul McCartney DVD and what should turn up but another bloody Beatles band album.
Cleopatra do like a tribute album and this certainly isn’t their first, but it’s actually not half bad. See, much as I fail to comprehend the fawning hyperbole that surrounds the less than Fab Four, I’m happy to put my hand up and say that they wrote some good songs. And there are some good performances here.
Sad to say, there is no provenance given for any of them, but some have appeared before, so if you’re a die hard fan of Judy Collins or the late Andrew Gold, then you’ll already have their contributions. Certainly, the opening ‘Across The Universe’ from Ann Wilson of Heart is a new one, and she really puts in a good shift. Fans of the late Jack Bruce will also want to hear his final recording, a version of ‘Eleanor Rigby’.
No surprise that Todd Rundgren should turn up on a Beatles tribute with ‘Hide Your Love Away’, but the winners for me were former Uriah Heep man, John Wetton (‘Penny Lane’), Helen Reddy (“All You Need Is Love”) and Leo Sayer (“Hey Jude”).
LUNDEN REIGN
American Stranger
independent
Well, this is a good one. A hard driving progressive rock band, not heavy enough for prog metal, but with a great deal of oomph (to use the technical term). Lunden Reign are led by singer Nikki Lunden and guitarist Lora G, and this debut concept album is certainly worth hearing. They’ve got plenty of form with previous bands, but only got together a couple of years back, leading to this.
It certainly sounds great, but then they have pulled is some big names to help out like Luis Maldonado, who has collaborated with John Waite, Glenn Hughes, Michael Schenker, UFO and many others, as well as mix engineer Geoff Pearlman (Linda Perry) and Train bass player Hector Maldonado. But that would be nothing if the songs and melodies came to naught, but they don’t.
There are a few songs here that you’ll find yourself going back to, with the radio friendly ‘The Savage Line’, ‘“Hush & Whispers’ and the title track getting deserved multiple spins. There are a couple of lesser moments towards the end of the album, but they don’t spoil what is an excellent debut.
JOSH GARRETT BAND
Honey For My Queen
independent
Back to the blues now, and we’re off to Louisiana to meet up with the Josh Garrett Band. Although he now seems to reside in Nashville. But wherever he lays his hat, this is southern infused blues meets soul with a hint of rock.
It’s his fourth album, so he’s had time to get a handle on things, and there’s even some special guests popping in to add some sauce and flavour, with James Johnson popping in on ‘Same Boat, Different River’ and some splendid fiddling on ‘Dat’s Alright With Me’ from Waylon Thibodeaux.
The record is chock full of memorable tunes, with those two my particular favourites, but wherever you end up, there is a fine time to be had on an album replete with good music and some laugh out loud lyrics. Check out ‘Whole Bottle of Whine’ and the closing ‘Moonshine And Cigarettes’ for proof of that.
This was a fun ride from start to finish, and comes highly recommended.
THE DREAMING SPIRES
Searching For The Supertruth
Clubhouse Records
Jingle jangle time from well travelled brothers, Robin and Joe Bennett. You may remember them from such bands as Goldrush and Danny & the Champions of the World. But they claim it’s their time at Truck America) in upstate New York where they jammed with Mercury Rev, Tim Easton and The Jayhawks and provided backing for The Band’s Garth Hudson that infuses this album.
However, if you think it’s going to be all rootsy, y’all, then bear in mind that the album title is borrowed from cosmic evolution theorist Rich Blundell. He says that his research “critically examines Big History phenomenology in a complex-systems perspective to explore how the lived-experience communicates through the domains of individual identity, cognition, culture, the biosphere, and beyond”. I’ll get me coat.
Basically, this is Big Star for the modern age. The Mojos and Uncuts of this world will be wetting themselves deliriously while the rest of us sigh and wonder what is wrong with us. It’s probably me, but I don’t hear anything that Teenage Fanclub weren’t doing yonks ago. Now there are some good songs here, especially ‘All Kinds Of People’, but i just doesn’t wet my whistle.
The Rocker - The Artist Formerly Known As Zeitgeist. TAFKAZ 
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