Def Leppard fans will be very familiar with the name Phil Collen. The lead guitarist from one of the greatest British rock band switches direction and calls on a great pool of talent to jumpstart his bluesy/soul/rock project, Delta Deep in 2012.
The great pool of talent comprises of bass guitarist, Robert DeLeo (Rock Temple Pilots); Forrest Robinson, who worked alongside acts such as TLC, India Arie and Engelbert Humperdinck and background vocalist Debbi Blackwell-Cook who worked alongside Luther Vandross, before his solo career, as well as providing backing vocals for Michael Buble’s hits amongst others.
So judging from this mammoth line-up, their debut self-titled effort would drum up at least some enthusiasm. Collen wastes no time with the 11 track album, by introducing the roaring funkiness of the guitars, while Blackwell-Cook provides the equally roaring, Tina Turner-esque vocals through “Bang the Lid”. A moody bluesy/jazzy number follows in “Whisky” where Blackwell-Cook’s went from all gutsy to a smooth soulful tone that effortlessly blend in the production. Third offering “Treat Her Like Candy” boasts a classic 60s Motown-style groove, with Collen/Blackwell duet resembling Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell.
“Burnt Sally” is a real authentic sultry blues affair which has an air of familiarity as it feels like a makeover of a 60s classic. Returning to the Motown style, “Feel It” gets the foot tapping with its seamlessly smooth soul and the Gaye/Terrell-esque vocals make a return, injecting the feel-good factor. The album concludes with “Mistreated”, which features a bold execution of the guitar, giving the bluesy effort a real soul-satisfying feeling.
Collen started Delta Deep because he missed the authenticity of raw blues that’s lacking in the music industry today. Anyone who would fully agree with his statement will find this self-titled collection far from disappointing.
Delta Deep’s album is available now on iTunes.
