"The Story of Sonny Bill Slim" - Gary Clarke JR's New Album - A Sick Tale of Blues, Soul & Rock

Hey guys do you need more sick 'Rock Music' in your playlist? if you do check out Gary Clark Jr and this studio performance of his new single "The Feeling" filmed in Texas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHKTAyaWVqU

His new second album "The Story of Sonny Bill Slim" dropped a couple months ago and it was recorded in the very same room at Arlyn studios that he preforms in the video above that has hosted acts like Arctic Monkeys, Stevie Ray Vaughn and even NZ's own Lorde.

Clarke's music style is very similar to The Black Keys and maybe even Alabama Shakes but he has more obvious influences of rap, soul and gospel music. He's also a total master of the blues and a virtuoso guitar slinger to boot.

My 2 other favourite tracks on the new album are 'Grinder" which has an insane guitar solo!! haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUfEcbVfVng

But my hands down favourite song on the album is "Cold Blooded" a bluesy soul record with a rock solid drum beat and a dope as hell horns section; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFajvN0IFyo

On a side note I was lucky enough to see Gary Clarke play at the Powerstation early in the year were he brought the house down. Daniel Michael Photography captured the epic photo of Clarke above at that very show early in the year which my good friend Leighton recommend I go, I'm glad I did his final encore of the night "Bright Lights" was insane the whole crowd went nuts!! no wonder he won a grammy for his first album "Black and Blu" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFjMeOnqAPI

Link to the Album: 

https://itunes.apple.com/nz/album/the-story-of-sonny-boy-slim/id1022109426

You can read Marty Duda's in-depth review of Gary Clarke's show at the power station 

here; http://13thfloor.co.nz/2015/04/01/gary-clark-jr-powerstation-concert-review/

Blues & Percussion - T-Shirt Design - Refugee Crisis facing NZ

Just a Percussion and Blues Loop I Did

A T-Shirt Mock Up design for a limited run ill be getting done 


My view on the Refugee crisis;
what good is it NZ being a wealthy country if we can't share it! Everyone should be allowed to come to NZ shame we can't even seem to look after our own as well as we should probably the main reason for our failings is that we can't even get past ourselves to look after others! Its no good letting in refugees in NZ to be discriminated against and to live under the poverty line as second class citizens - we need to try harder across the board and really take up our responsibility for looking after everyone in the Country especially new arrivals escaping war torn countries and conflicts!

An Album Review of The Buffalo Killers: Dig.Sow.Love.Grow

The Buffalo Killers album Dig.Sow.Love.Grow was released in the earlier part of 2012.The remarkably elegant album from the rockers from Cincinnati, Ohio is warm enough to melt the dust off any diamond record needle. You can easily hear the effort that has gone into making this album.The man behind the magic desk was Mike Montgomery clearly a mix master of an engineer.

The Buffalo Killers if you aren't familiar with them have recently finished up a tour with "The Sheep Dogs" who graced The Rolling Stone last year. The band has also toured with "The Black Keys" the biggest rock band in the world (move over U2). Dan Auberach lead guitarist/ vocalist of "the keys" also produced an earlier second album called 'Let it Ride" by the band .Interestingly enough both bands share the same legendary label Alive Records which is also home to Radio Moscow, T Model Ford, Left lane Cruiser, amongst other South U.S rock artists.   

The first track off Dig.Sow.Love.Grow "Get it" immediately draws me back to Black Sabbath's "War Pigs" arguably one of the greatest rock songs ever. The drumming and vocal delivery delivery on this track are immaculate. The understated but "knawerring rifff" also make this song a real hollering rock jam. The song also reminds of Lynrd Skynrd's music produced by the legendary Al Kooper. A person rumoured to have ripped the "Sweet Home Alabama" artists off for millions earlier in their career.

I can hear that Dig.Sow.Love.Grow has a somewhat melancholy feeling. It's as if someone has been left behind broken down lying on the floor then getting up with a vengeance to become a better man. A past lovers immature actions have obviously inspired a real rock album born out of fury. There are songs that counter such an overwhelming feeling for instance "Hey Girl" is more upbeat and could easily be a song off Jack White's latest album Blunderbuss. I can easily see the harmonised guitar licks getting the nod of approval from the music baron residing in Music City- aka Nashville City. Shout out to my friends on Music Row like Jim Zumwalt hope Cage the Elephant are behaving themselves.

However, in the majority songs like "Blood on your hands" ,"I am always here" and "Farewell" do lead one to the speedy suspicions of a painful heartbreak episode. Who said it was easy living in the South. My stand out favourite off the record is "Graffiti Eggplant" that clearly states sometimes a lovers "absence is not a surprise".What truly glistens for me on this album if I'm to be frank are the influences of Buffalo Killers .Acts ranging from Neil Young to Cream to Deep Purple are all screaming out of my speakers in a gumbo of southern rock soup. Even if rocks legacy has been completely lost upon the "Dubstep generation" it's only a matter of time. The screaming guitars off Fun's 1# smash "Some Nights" is clearly conveying a turn towards rock filtering back into the mainstream. A modern reinvigorating punch brings back rock in Dig.Sow.Love.Grow. to the musical frontier.

Moss Bioletti