Recorded as live in the studio, the new album from trio The Paul Garner Band is a terrific release full of funky charm and roots/blues sensibilities. Though it’s not afraid of adding a few different flavours into the mix (such as the reggae infused opener ‘My Babe’, it’s an album that clearly grew from strong roots (sorry).
There’s an abundance of 12 bar structuring here, which depending on your opinion of the blues genre that spawned it is either an easy shortcut or a classic structure that never tires. In the hands of The Paul Garner, the tendency is for the latter, as it’s used mostly to supplement already strong song writing.
An example of this is ‘Police Dog Blues’, which benefits from an off kilter snare drum part which sounds loose throughout but adds an extra dimension on multiple listens.
‘Never Make A Move Too Soon’ meanwhile is more of a straightforward blues rock number (reminiscent of Cliff Richard’s ‘Devil Woman’ – but don’t let that put you off) which drives along nicely on a strong rhythm and sustained organ chords. It’s all the stronger for not relying on the 12 bar – which just goes to show that The Paul Garner Band can run it both ways.
These are just a couple of highlights from an LP which is overall an excellent listen. Each of the ten tracks has at least one moment (and usually more) to recommend it, so it’s a worthy addition to any blues fan’s collection.
