Well, well, well…what do we have here? Only some of the finest laid-back blues I’ve heard in a long while. Sydney-based singer-songwriter and formidable guitarist Isaiah B. Brunt settled down in New Orleans to record this little gem. It’s his first purely electric release yet the feel is so stripped-back and organic, you could imagine it was made in an out-of-town shack lit by a kerosene lamp.
Brunt wrote all nine tracks, taking care of production at the Louisiana Audiophile Studios. His vocals resemble a relaxed John Mayall. His sliding ’70s Stratocaster sings effortlessly across the selection. Fine accompaniment is provided by two of Audiophile’s in-house players; Richard Bird on bass throughout and engineer David Stocker on Mellotron (‘Which Way To Go’). Completing the line up are New Orleans drummer Mark Whitaker, Mike Hood (piano, Hammond) and Kenny Claiborne (now there’s a good ol’ N’awlins name) on harmonica for ‘The River Runs High’ – a swampy killer. Piano and drums provide bass and bop notes to ‘Precious Stone’. ‘With A Kiss’ is a slow shuffle decorated with loose piano trills while ‘Lovers’ Blues’ features sophisticated George Benson-esque guitar. ‘Which Way To Go’ bids an ambling farewell – or ‘See ya later’ – with a minor key fade out. The Sydney Blues Society Performer of 2010 is set to tour the east coast and NZ.
Independent
Reviewed by Chris Lambie