Brian Curran is another young artist who respects the traditional
roots of the blues, using its influences as a platform to
launch his own brand of country blues. A fine example of this
can be found in 'Bring Me Flowers', a rollicking country blues
on which he pastes Peetie Wheatstraw's lyrics onto a Tampa
Red influenced slide backing; Charles Brown's 'Driftin'
Blues', which under Curran's auspices becomes a
slide driven, percussive walking blues; Sylvester Weaver's
'Guitar Rag', which is
played on slide and evokes a mesmerizing latent beauty, and
Robert Johnson's 'Preachin' Blues'
which is played as a slide instrumental in the Mississippi
Hill country style associated with RL Burnside.
Curran's
originals meld seamlessly with his covers; 'Find
Me A Place' being a flowing slide piece with
a reverential New Orleans feel, whilst 'Lonesome
Town' is a melancholy lament with a strong Robert
Johnson feel to the fretwork. 'Southbound'
which melds haunting vocals with percussive rhythms, and
the bouncing country blues 'Love
Bug', replete with fine harp (Jon Erblich) and
spoons and foot tambourine (Marty Spikner), are further
delights on this fine set.
'Made
Myself Lonesome' offers more of the same, with
Curran supplementing his guitar playing, on several tracks,
with a variety of instruments and accompanists.
The
title track is an aptly titled country blues, with tantalizing
guitar, and plaintive vocals that are echoed by Eric McSpadden's
harmonica; 'Tuesday Night At Venice'
is a percussive, Kokomo Arnold influenced slide instrumental
replete with bones played by Sandy Weltman; whilst 'My
First Love' is a bouncing folk blues that reminds
me of a cross between Burl Ives and Mississippi John Hurt.
Curran
also has his own unique way of interpreting his well chosen
covers; Hank Williams' 'Mind Your
Own Business' is given an infectious raggy feel,
with Broonzy influenced picking and 'dustbin' drumming from
Benet Schaeffer; Sonny Boy Nelson's 'Street
Walkin' Woman' is a slow rocking blues with 'cakewalking'
euphonium from John Wolf; 'Statesboro'
Blues' takes McTell's lyrics and pastes them
onto an hypnotic guitar riff over which Jon Erblich's harmonica
dances delightfully; whilst Bo Diddley's 'Who
Do You Love' features wild and evocative slide
over more of that contagious 'dustbin' drumming.
A
raggy slide driven 'Walking Blues'
with wistful vocals from Curran, and a relaxed and intimate
rendition of John Hurt's 'Hot Time
In The Old Town Tonight' are further delights
on this impressive set.
~ Mick Rainsford
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