Review by Richard Henry for MPM
It has been quite a wait since 2014’s “Far as I Can See” album, so a lot of anticipation for this one, I got to hear two songs from this album the last time Matt played at Ronnie Scotts, so I am buzzing to get stuck into this album!
Looking down the track listing, a few songs written by Matt and Jay Stollman who is Matts artist manager and a great musician as well, and a few with co-writes from Christine Tambakis and then the shuffle is the written by the original trio who play on this album of Evan Jenkins (drums) and Jonny Henderson (keys).
Can’t Catch My Breath
Straight in with a drum roll and then right into familiar territory with these guys, lovely groove to start this one off, Jonny holding the bass down and adding lovely support to Matt who peppers in little lead lines in between his vocals, I love the little half time feel when the chorus hits, as usual Matts tone is sublime, as he takes his solo, it’s what you would expect, great playing and phrasing and again that nice tempo change in there before Matt takes off again, some lovely intricate guitar runs in there as well, but you can’t help but sit and tap your foot listening to it because the guys just groove so hard, the actual recording though is really punchy and clear, I love that little slinky breakdown part near the end of the song where the band bring the dynamics down and let Matt get nice and slow, while Jonny is just peppering the chords behind, but listen to that bassline he is playing at the same time, that’s the thing with this trio, they just flow so well, as to be expected for the length of time they have played together, what a track to kick this album off!
Any Questions
Straight in with an Albert King style bend, a lovely slow shuffle feel for this one, again the pocket between Evan and Johnny playing the basslines and filling in the chords, Matts vocals as well on this, I think you forget because of the playing that he is a really strong vocalist, this one reminds me of “Lay it Down” from Heads Tails album, just gives me that vibe, when we get into the solo there is some lovely bends and phrasing right there, using the whole neck, lots of slides, double bends all with that warm strat tone you expect from Matt, again Jonny throws in a lovely ascending bass line in the background, there is a break section at the end of the solo and that long held note just makes you want to grit your teeth as its happening, little diminished line before we climb into some more blues bends and then back into the vocals again, the whole time Jonny is just holding down these static chords and building the tension from behind, another great track!
Put the Shoe on the Other Foot
Lovely groovy intro from Evan on the drums to kick this one off, which actually reminded me of the way the track “Live Wire” kicks off, this is pure swampy New Orleans groove on this one, again another song and another different feel, but still 100% this trio and what they do, the chord work on this from Matt absolutely needs a mention just filling in all the little parts between vocals, yes, Jonny solo coming up, and for those who don’t know, he is not only playing a blinder of a solo with all those slides and lovely note choices, but he is also playing the bass line with his left hand, yeah I have no idea how he does it, but he is absolutely class at it, then back into that lovely groove again, now that intro to the solo, if there is a classic Matt Schofield lick, then i think that is it, I have heard that a good few times in different songs, again everything is there, the tone, the feel, the licks, and it all comes together in a glorious package that is so recognizable as Matt, I love this track!
Measure Of a Man
Now this one I have heard in Ronnies last time Matt played, lovely slow blues, and a really clean guitar sound, for comparison I think “The Day You Left”, it’s that sort of slow blues, but that chord work just before the vocals come in, also slightly Pink Floyd, maybe just me but I sort of hear it, again I will say just the little fill lines and chordal ideas between the vocals are beautiful, you hear the fullness and delicateness of Matts voice on this one for sure, we sort of slowly glide into the solo, and there are some lovely repeated ideas in there as well as some slinky little phrases that really follow the chord progression when you dive into it, when you hear Jonny change chord you can see Matt just follow and flow through the chord changes, nice exit from the solo with a little build up into the vocal, before we gently head back into the verse, bit more gain on the guitar as we hot the outro solo to this one, some lovely overbends and a bit more Jimmy/Stevie phrasing on the solo, lovely way to finish out the track, love that part when the band follows the sliding guitar figure, what can I say, love this one as well!
Wellington Shuffle
These guys love a shuffle, this one just kicks right in, love the little moving guitar and keys figures between Matt and Jonny with Evan swinging away in the background, Matt up first for a solo, love the feel, and that’s the thing, every song the phrasing as expected just matches what the song needs, some nice octave runs there, before Jonny comes in for his solo (while still playing the bass line), and like Matt, Jonny is just tasty when he solos as well, lovely note choices and phrasing before they both come back in with the unison lines, ah nice, little breaks at the end to give Evan a chance to throw in some lovely fills before the song closes out!
Do Me Right
Buzz roll in from Evan into a real surf feeling groove with some nice tom hits on the groove to it, great vocal from Matt again on this one, I love that groove though it’s so get people on the floor dancing to it, Jonny up first to solo on this, lots of little double stop parts and slides into the notes, it’s that groove though, it is so addictive and just screams good times, matt up next, bit more grit on the guitar on this solo and some really nice double stop licks and lovely note choice, but this one is all about the verse, chorus and that unrelenting groove, lovely breakdown in the middle of this one, bringing the dynamics of the band down, and what goes down must come up as you can feel the bends getting more aggressive and the licks getting more aggressive as the band builds this one back up again and then it stops, and completely changes feel into something that reminds me of and SRV track, but I can’t put my finger on which one, and the playing gets a bit more raw as well, love the change to this part as the song fades out!
Danger Zone
Matt kicks this one off on the vocals, and this is probably the softest track i have heard, Evan on the brushes and Jonny really taking center stage with the bassline and then chord work, there is no guitar in the verse at all so far, takes to after the chorus for Evan to change to a beat with the brushes more than the swirl in the first verse, Matt does then come in for the solo in the middle and its very slinky and sexy in feel, just the right notes and the right feel and that’s what Matt does, it’s just perfect for the song, not overplayed but just enough, then Jonny gets his turn as Matt turns to backing and there again is some absolutely lovely phrasing from Jonny as usual, that’s why Robben Ford uses him as well, tasty player, then the last verse adds the guitar in for fills but keeps that lovely soft groove going, love this track, really different but really cool!
Nothin But a Party
That is very Texas blues in feel, it’s just down and dirty and swampy in feel, now I know Matt is a fan of the first 4 ZZ Top albums and I don’t think this would be out of place with the Reverend himself singing this one, it has that dusty feel, gritty guitar tones as well when he takes little fill lines, and then when we hit the solo, that’s a lead tone and a half right there, really deliberate phrasing and feel on that, I don’t think there is fuzz on that guitar but its close in tone, again with these guys it’s all about setting up that groove and the band just grooves hard in every song no matter what the feel is, now I am pretty sure there is fuzz on that last solo, love the gang vocals in the back ground of this one, makes you want to grab a drink and get onto that floor, what a fitting track to end this album with, except you will want the party to continue after this song ends!
10 out of 10
It’s been a long 11 years since the last album, I think I have seen Matt 9 times since the last album came out, I highly recommend this album if you love your blues, R&B, guitar playing, you will not be disappointed!
Go get it from Matts site, and when he does roll into the UK again, grab a ticket and go see these guys in action, the album is one thing but live they are something else!
