Marius Tilly Band – Come Together | Album Review

This CD review was originally published in the November 12, 2015 edition of Blues Blast Magazine. Be sure to check out the rest of the magazine at www.bluesblastmagazine.com

Marius Tilly Band – Come Together

String Commander

www.mariustillyband.com 11 tracks / 45:03

The Marius Tilly Band is a trio that draws inspiration from the hard blues-rock of the late 1960s and early 1970s, and blends these sounds with modern songwriting structures and lyrics. Based out of Dortmund, Germany, the members of this young band are Marius Tilly on vocals and guitar, Benjamin Oppermann on bass, and Maximilian Wastl on drums. Come Together is their sophomore effort, following up on their very good debut, Blues Colors, Red Lights. The new album’s eleven original tracks clock in at a touch over 45 minutes, and during that time a lot of musical ground is covered.

Though the content is mostly amplified and rock-based like the opener, “Believe,” there is also some nice acoustic blues to be found on this disc. “Fly” is a lovely traveling blues song with a bit of a Delta feel thanks to Tilly’s resonator guitar and howling lyrics, and “Far Away” builds with layers of guitars and textures as it sets a somber mood to close out the disc. It should be noted that through these guys are from overseas, all of the words are in English. These lyrics are quite good, and are not presented with the awkward syntax and feel that sometimes result when songs are sung outside of the vocalist’s native language. By the way, the CD includes a book of lyrics, which is a cool touch that has become quite uncommon in recent years.

Their blues work is good, but blues-rock is where the Marius Tilly band really shines. Two songs in particular, “Headaches” and “Skin’s Electric,” have a majestic infusion of funk that make them the standout tracks on Come Together. It does not hurt that both songs are very well written and the backline of Opperman and Wastl are innovative and extremely tight. Combining these elements with Tilly’s strong guitars and vocals makes these tracks a fine listening experience.

Their more conventional blues-rock songs are also solid, and like the rest of the songs on the album they are radio-friendly. “Hold On” features throaty vocals that double up with the guitar at times, which is strikingly effective and musical. Also, “Water Falls” features some lovely Hammond work from guest artist Artur Kuhfub that adds another layer of complexity to the band’s sound. There are not any two songs that sound alike here!

The trio even throws down a few pop tunes that are quite good. “Elevator Girl” is a high-energy song with heavy drums and wah pedal -infused guitar that includes some cool call and response from Wastl and Oppermann on the chorus. “Take Off” has almost the polar opposite feel, with a moody feel that is brought out by heavily processed 1980s style guitars that are processed with an abundance of delay and reverb. The final product ends up being like a mash-up of INXS and U2, if that makes any sense to the Generation X readers out there.

Come Together is a solid effort from the Marius Tilly Band with healthy servings of accessible rock, pop and blues music. Their unique sound is very likeable, and their live shows are chock full of contagious energy. Unfortunately they are only touring Europe right now, so American fans will have to make do with listening to their CDs and viewing their YouTube videos until someone starts paying attention and gets them to come to a festival here in the states.

Fo’ Reel – Heavy Water | Album Review

Aloha!

Fo’ Reel – Heavy Water

Self Release

www.foreelband.com

11 tracks / 53:06

Fo’ Reel bills themselves as a “New Orleans All Star Blues Funk” band, and though it sounds like hyperbole, there might just be something to their boast. Just looking over the list of personnel for their new album, “Heavy Water,” proves that they have a lot of powerful musicians in the line-up.

For starters, C.P. Love, the legendary Crescent City soul singer is their frontman, and a couple of Grammy winners are on the bill too: Jonny Neel behind the keyboards (Allman Brother, Gov’t Mule, and Dicky Betts) and Jon Smith on tenor sax. David Hyde takes on the bass chores, and the drums were played by Daryl Burgess or Allyn Robinson, depending on which city the recording session was in that day (New Orleans or Nashville). This ensemble is rounded out by Ward Smith on baritone saxophone, Barney Floyd on trumpet, and songwriter Rick Lawson, who provided the lead vocals on four of the tracks.

But do not forget guitarist and executive producer Mark Domizio, who is their leader and the brainchild that turned this group of journeyman musicians into a cohesive whole. David played with Dr. John’s band for 40 years, and has been a first-call guitarist on the New Orleans scene for just as long. Now that this disc is cut, he will be taking some of these guys on the road to spread their brand of blues to the hungry masses.

For a “New Orleans All Star Blues Funk” band, their selection of music is not what you would think it would be – what they play is not exactly the New Orleans Blues. Though there is an undercurrent of the NOLA vibe, their music has a smooth and soulful modern blues sound that is not loaded up with accordion, washboards, or raw production values. It is a fresh blues-based sound that incorporates elements of jazz, soul, funk, rhythm and blues, Latin beats, and even a little Texas swing. This album is as slick as hell with high-quality and seamless production, and the band cranks out eight original songs and three clever covers in just under an hour.

Heavy Water kicks off with “Breaking up Somebody’s Home,” the first of the three cover tunes. This Albert King standard differs from other versions that came before as it is more soul-based, with some incredible Hammond work from Neel, and killer horn arrangements from Smith. Love’s vocals are strong and suitably harsh and emotional for the theme of this song.

Love also takes the lead vocals on the other two covers: “Shake N Bake” and ”Just as I Am,” both of which were recorded by the late Luther Allison. The former is a slow-rolling funk masterpiece, and the latter borders on gospel. The common ground between the two is the rock-solid backline, Domizio’s stellar lead breaks, and the incredible keys of Neel.

Rick Lawson’s smooth voice brings more of a 1970s funk style to “Shake N Bake” which is an explosion of raw horns, retro synthesizer sound, and hammering snare and hi-hat. But otherwise, his vocals are used for slow-rolling blues tunes, including “Leave Your Love Alone,” “Blues,” and “Outside Love.” These latter two also feature some sublime slide work from Domizio.

As cool as all of this is, there are a few instrumentals that will really knock your socks off too. “Gate” is a jazzed-up Texas swing tribute to Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, with some trick fingering on the guitar and razor sharp horns, including a fabulous tenor sax solo from Smith. They chose to end the set with “Tater,” a jazzy horn fest with a funky beat.

Fo’ Reel’s Heavy Water is a very good album with first-rate writing, arranging, performance and production. If you like contemporary blues or soul, this disc is a must-buy, but also consider their live show if you are looking for a fun evening of righteous music. For details of how to purchase the CD or to see their gig schedule check out their website at www.foreelband.com

Mahalo!