Billy the Kid and the Regulators – I Can't Change | Album Review

Billy the Kid and the Regulators – I Can't Change

Self Release

www.billythekidandtheregulators.com

10 tracks / 40:19

Billy the Kid and the Regulators are an award-winning rhythm and blues band out of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Their tight guitar-fueled sound has earned them a couple of trips to the International Blues Challenge and the love of the Blues Society of Western Pennsylvania, who awarded them 1st place in 2013. Their latest album, I Can't Change, is a cool piece of work that was produced by Damon Fowler, the supreme bluesman out of Florida.

Billy the Kid is the pseudonym of guitarist and vocalist Billy Evanochko, and the core of The Regulators are Jon Vallecorsa (guitar), James Dougherty (slide guitar), Brian Edwards (drums), Arnold Stagger (bass) and Ublai Bey (keys). There are also plenty of guests artists on this latest disc, which is made up of a ten tracks; these are mostly originals with a few neat covers thrown in. Here are a few of the highlights:

- The title track kicks things off, and the original “I Can’t Change” has a full and funky sound. The vocals are hearty, and there is a lot to accompany them: this includes layers of guitars, a fat horn section of Reggie Watkins, Rick Matt, and J.D. Chasin, and soulful backing vocals from Yolanda Barber. This is a well-written tune that requires a tight band to pull it off and the Regulators deliver the goods.

- “What Are We Fighting For” is a gorgeous R&B tune with Ublai Bey setting the mood perfectly with the organ chords. With a song like this it is handy that there are so many guitarists in the group as they are able to combine the lead, rhythm and slide parts with the tight horns into a cool melody to accompany the regretful lyrics of romantic strife.

- “That Darn Cat” adds funky fun to the playlist, with witty lyrics that are delivered in almost a spoken-word fashion. Barber does a fine job supplementing the vocals and Stagger pops out a hot bass line with aggressive harmonica work courtesy of Jason Ricci. It is neat to see the band branch out in different directions and the diversity really works for them.

- A pair of guest guitarists sit in on “Saturday Night,” and the axes of Damon Fowler and Ohioan Sean Carney make this high energy blues rocker shine. They have a great interplay, and there is also a sweet dose of tasty harp work from Ricci over the driving backline of Stagger and Edwards. This is a fun tune, and it will probably make its way over to my party mix!

- There are a few noteworthy covers on this disc. Jimmy Reed’s “Can't Stand to See You Go” does not stray too far from the original, with loping guitar riffs and a genuine roadhouse sound. Ricci’s harp takes a few leads and the vocals are carefully enunciated, making for a vintage vibe. Robert Johnson’s classic “Me and the Devil Blues” closes out the album, and this short song is a nice trip back to where the blues came from. This acoustic track includes only the vocals, acoustic guitar and harp, and it serves as a cool bookend to a set of modern blues songs.

I Can't Change is a strong collection of rhythm and blues and blues-rock from Billy the Kid and the Regulators, and they have something special going here. This album was released last year, so hopefully they are putting together a follow-up for us to enjoy soon. In the meantime, be sure to head to their website to see if they have any gigs near you soon!

Chicago Blues Guide Album Review: Damon Fowler – Sounds of Home

Hi! This review was originally published in Chicago Blues Guide on January 8, 2014. For all the latest Windy City blues info, be sure to check out their website at www.chicagobluesguide.com

Damon Fowler

Sounds of Home

Blind Pig Records

The American South is the source of countless talented guitar-slingers, but not many get the chance to hit the big time. But, through hard work, endless touring, and incredible talent, Damon Fowler is all set to make the jump. This Florida native has been working his solo act for years, and is also a member of the southern roots rock group, SoHo, alongside JP Soars and Victor Wainwright. Their work is highly-regarded, and it shows that Damon has the versatility to perform equally well as a solo artist or with a group.

Sounds of Home is Fowler’s third solo release on Blind Pig Records and he pulled out all the stops to make sure it was a success. His best decision was to bring Louisiana legend Tab Benoit onboard as producer. This album was recorded and mixed by Benoit at his own Whiskey Bayou Studios, and he also contributed his songwriting skills and a bit of his wonderful guitar prowess. It contains 11 tracks, with seven originals that were penned by Damon and his seasoned writing partner, Ed Wright, along with a little help from Tab. The guitars and vocals were handled by Fowler, with Chuck Riley on bass and James McKnight on drums.

The first track up is ”Thought I Had It All” and the listener gets a strong dose of heavy southern rock. Damon Fowler delivers the vocals with a bit of a southern accent and his voice is strong so he does not need to strain to get his point across. Up next is the title track, “Sounds of Home,” which is a slick piece of blues rock, with a rhythm section that could have been lifted straight out of a 1970s Robin Trower album. It should be noted that the vocals on this track were shared by perennial Mardi Grad favorite Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, which makes for a neat addition to what was already a cool song.

Damon also includes a few country-inspired songs on this album. “Old Fools, Bar Stools and Me” takes on the classic theme of drinking away heartache, but uses a hard punch of heavily processed guitars to get the message across. “Where I Belong” is a catchy tune with fancy fingerpicking and slide that does a good job of evoking images of home. “Do It For The Love” is the standout track on Sounds of Home, as this ballad has sublime lyrics that are interwoven with wonderful interplay between Fowler’s guitar and Benoit’s slide work.

The two covers are not the usual suspects, and they include an unexpectedly faithful rendition of Elvis Costello’s “Alison” and a hard hitting version of Johnny Winter’s “TV Mama.” Fowler electrifies Winter’s 1977 song with well-placed lead and slide guitar licks, which are more than fitting for the slew of double entendres of the original version. This track highlights his backline, which features Riley’s chugging bass line and McKnight’s drums, which are heavy and perfectly recorded and mixed.

The album ends up with “I Shall Not Be Moved,” a traditional spiritual, which seems right at home amongst the southern-fried rock and blues that make up the rest of Sounds of Home. It starts out with Damon singing along with a fun fingerpicked riff, and then he is joined by the bass and drums and some perfectly sweet vocal harmonies courtesy of Tab Benoit. It was clever to put this song at the end, as it is different enough from the rest of the material that it provides a clearly defined finish.

Damon Fowler should be proud of the work he put into Sounds of Home. All eleven tracks are solid, and it is obvious that he has mastered the art of blues and swamp rock performance and writing. Check out this album for 50 minutes of top-shelf entertainment, and be sure to hit his website at www.damonfowler.com for tour dates, as he will be making his way around the country this winter and spring.