Browsing Tag

Old School Blues

Witness the resurrection of old-school soul in Shaun Finn’s plea for salvation, Mrs. Doctor

Posted on 18 May 2024

There’s no aural cocktail for the soul as alchemically potent as the opening soul rock salvo, Mrs. Doctor, from Shaun Finn’s debut EP, Oak & King.

The conduit for the soul of old-school soul and blues used euphonic melodic cadences to filter raw and confronting lyricism through, ensuring the vintage timbres of the track hit with maximum dualistic impact. The urgency within the pleas for medicinal salvation matches the sincerity of the delivery, which is sure to strike a chord of empathy with anyone who isn’t a long way down the sociopathic spectrum.

Just when you thought that Shaun Finn couldn’t possibly impress anymore, the smoky laidback arcane air slips away to make room for one of the most paralysing blues-rock guitar solos carved on this side of the millennium.

The Vancouver-based artist’s ability to reach out directly to you while immersing yourself in his emotional expression is one thing. The talent exhibited in this vignette of a soul searching for a cure is another. Why his name isn’t in lights across international stadiums is honestly beyond me.

Stream Shaun Finn’s debut EP, Oak & King on Spotify or stream the official music video on YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Psych Folk meets Old School Blues in Reverend James Elmore Jenkins’ single, ‘Rise Up!’

Posted on 5 April 2021

Rise Up! is the latest single to be released by Tennessee-hailing minister and musician Reverend James Elmore Jenkins; the request won’t seem all that unreasonable once you’ve experienced the upraising melding of old school blues and psych-folk.

With dizzying electronic effect, potentially more mind-warping than anything that The Legendary Pink Dots have ever offered, infused into the soulful Americana soundscape – complete with lap steel guitar twangs, Rise Up! It is practically a transcendental experience. Any fans of the Blues greats such as Blind Willie Johnson won’t want to miss out on this release.

Rise Up! officially released on April 1st; you can check it out for yourselves via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Nathan Rodd revived old school alt-folk blues with their sonorously sonic single ‘Natalie’

Posted on 12 February 2021

How do you make old school alt-folk blues just as mesmerising as Tom Waits did in the 70s? You’ll find the answer in up and coming artist, Nathan Rodd’s, debut EP ‘Slowly’.

The standout single ‘Natalie’, finds the perfect balance of sonorous sonic power and delicate intrigue right from the intro. From there on out, pulled along by the tightly packed, intricately progressions which bleed nuances of jazz. But there’s nothing nuanced about the full-frontal emotion which unequivocally confirms that romance is still alive in 2021.

The distinctively raspy whisky-stained vocals give the soundscape an archaic touch while the masterfully dynamic production makes sure that Natalie wouldn’t be out of place on contemporary airwaves.

Nathan Rodd’s debut EP is now available to stream via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Embrace the ferocity in Miss Emily’s fiercely tantalising Blues track “The Sellout”

Posted on 31 October 2020

Need a live music Fix? Sensationally talented award-winning Blues artist Miss Emily has treated her ardent fans to a live rendition to one of her most soulfully imploring singles, The Sellout.

Finding artists with a voice which crawls under your skin and into your soul is no easy feat, but it is hard to ignore Miss Emily and the evocatively ethereal tones which she can command as she verses the scathingly alluring vocals. The passion and level of conviction in her projection of the pitch-perfect notes allows the empowered vibes to stay with you long after the track has faded to a quiescent close.

If someone took you by the shoulders and attempted to shake the naivety out of you, the effect would be less visceral than if you hit play on The Sellout. Her band leave plenty of room for her vocals to utterly dominate the track, but you’ll still get to drink in plenty of rhythmically enticing alchemy which bleeds through the smooth blues grooves.

You can check out the video of Miss Emily performing Live at the Isabel by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast