Bit of blues rock dream team going on here as Innes Sibun (Lead, Slide, Acoustic and Rhythm Guitar, Mandolin) and Marcus Malone (Vocals, Backing Vocals, Rhythm Guitar) join forces on their debut album which is released on 31 Jan via Redline Music/Cargo Music.
The title track is a clarion call to come together to save the earth. Very reminiscent of Free, both in the vocals of Malone and the music. ‘She’s My Girl’ is another one that recalls Free and the Rolling Stones, classy music.
Plenty of blues guitar to be enjoyed throughout the album, notably on ‘I Want You Back’ and the hard rocking ‘Jodie’ (love the piano riff on this one).
Special mention to Stevie Watts who lays down some impressive keyboards throughout the album (all bar one song). His Hammond organ playing coupled with the guitar on ‘Everyday’s A Miracle’ gives the song the right amount of soul.
Highly recommended if like me you like your blues with plenty of variety, be it rock, soul or gospel.
THE TEA PARTY seemed to have been quiet since 2014’s ‘The Ocean at the End’, which was their first new music since reforming in 2011. The title track from the ‘Black River’ EP was released back in 2018, however the EP wasn’t released until the end of November last year.
It is a six song EP, although no song is overly long as the whole EP is just over 21 minutes long! Highlights? The driving rock of the title track, the groove filled ‘Way Way Down’ and the Tea Party do a little bit of country on ‘Blood Moon Rising (Watty’s Song)’. The trio of musicians use such a variety of instruments to create a smogasbord of sounds and melodies. Oh and all of this plus a stonking version of Led Zeppelin’s ‘Out On The Tiles’.
The Tea Party have always done their own thing, regardless of musical trends, much like King’s X and Marillion, and more power to them for doing this. This EP is a ‘must have’ for any fan of the band and one to try for those new to this band’s wonderfully eclectic and enjoyable music.
The Rockin' Chair 