This duo does a decent job of keeping the Blues alive for the bar band audience of the U.S. and the album listening audience everywhere.

This duo from Chicago specializes in Lo-Fi Blues that owes more to the Blues of the Mississippi Delta than the Blues of the Windy City. There are the scuzzy riffs of Junior Kimbrough and back porch Rocking of R.L. Burnside. The addition of harmonica to their sound brings that Country Blues vibe of Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee to much of the music too.

Young American's John Liggett and Brian Mickey take a riff and drive it onwards, giving you that Box-Car rhythm that influenced a lot of early Blues. 'Love Don't Make No Sense' and 'Don't Be Down' have the measured Boogie ethic of the late, great John Lee Hooker and 'You Wouldn't Believe Me' recalls those Hooker and Canned Heat collaborations that resulted in some of the best Boogie Blues ever. Here Liggett's harmonica follows the guitar groove like CH's late Al Wilson did so well. His voice is a rough approximation of their Blues influences but he doesn't quite have the world weary, life experience feel and depth of say Hooker or Son House though.

There are other influences that widen their sound. 'Been So Long' is a deceptively simple Indie Country Blues number that brings their sound more in line with the modern trendy Blues of the Black Keys as does 'Let Me Do That For Ya' which goes for a deliberately sloppy, loose and limbre groove. The laid back drinking song 'Bar Stool Blues' has the infectious swing of Jimmy Reed and lyrics that are close to that of the great Bluesman's lifestyle. The spit and sawdust production enhances rather than diminishes their sound. The electric riffs and Punk drumming are the only indications that this isn't a 1940's or 1950's Blues record.

Carrying the torch from America's great Blues artists, this duo does a decent job of keeping the Blues alive for the bar band audience of the U.S. and the album listening audience everywhere.

Duncan Jamieson