REVIEW: Craig Caffall - Hold Me Up

Craig Caffall has played music around the world. Picking up the guitar while attending a boarding school in England, Caffall later moved to California and has been playing in the U.S. and Mexico since. The Craig Caffall band has had many incarnation over the years and covered many states. The release of Craig’s album Hold Me Up in 2007 is just another brick in the proverbial wall of Caffall’s exciting career in music.

Hold Me Up, the first track on the album as well as the title track, is a blues song complete with blues guitar solos and New Orleans soul. Mudbugs and Dixie Beer has more of southern rock feel with the vocals echoing back to compound the original energy. Cryin’ in the Rain is a classic rock style song that brings to mind the likes of Van Morrison and Tom Petty. Roll On Big Sister, the title track of Caffall’s 1999 release, doesn’t seem to have the same level of musicianship as the other tracks on Hold Me Up although the concept behind the song still deserves merit. The Storm starts out with a little mandolin and fiddle. This song sounds like a mix of bluegrass and some good old classic rock. The vocals in this track stand out in this track as having more energy and emotion than some of the previous songs. Try is a slower song that’s more of a ballad with a ‘Stormy Monday’ feel and definitely fits well here in relation to the rest of the album. I Did It All Bad lyrically mimics Caffall’s bio and has the honesty and poeticism to make a great song. Hope You’re Doing Alright has a 90‘s pop/rock vibe and adds a nice hint of diversity to the album as a whole. Up in Flames is a good song, however the instrumentation is a little repetitive. It would have been nice to hear a little more dynamics in this one. Closing out the album, Hard Life starts out slow with just Craig and the guitar. The song build up to a grand finale - this is the type of dynamics I was talking about earlier - awesome!

Overall, Hold Me Up is an entertaining album and Craig Caffall is an artist with tons to offer musically. The album is bumpy at times, but as a whole, full of soul, energy and some great blues.

3.5 out of 5 stars

You can learn more about Craig Caffall Band at www.craigcaffall.com

REVIEW: Guitardogs - Dog Years

Pennsylvania band, The Guitardogs have been rocking the Keystone state since 1988. Having gone through a couple of lineup changes over the years, The Guitardogs have developed their sound into an awesome classic rock experience with their ‘best of’ album, Dog Years.

Dog Years is a collection of great memories the band has had through the years all on a two-disc set. This album is great because it shows the diversity the band has as a whole - ranging from Allman Brothers-style classic rock to traditional bluesy jams. The Guitardogs is a group of songwriters as well as performers. This shows as each of the writers has a unique style that they have masterfully crafted together to form a diverse and eclectic sound.

From blues, to classic rock and even a little metal influence, Dog Years is packed with great lyrics and melodies, jams and, of course, epic guitar solos from start to finish.

Dog Years also includes plenty of live recordings for fans. These tracks, according to the band, are from some of their most memorable performances over the years. One thing is for sure, The Guitardogs are in no short supply of rhythm, blues and a whole lot of rock-n-roll!

4.5 out of 5 stars

You can learn more about The Guitardogs at www.theguitardogs.com

REVIEW: The Blackberry Blues Band - Self-Titled

For all of you looking for soulful blues with a funky rock twist, The Blackberry Blues Band is what you’ve been waiting for. These guys have been around the block in the music world and it shows. One of the things that stands out with this band is how well they play together. Each part accents the others and makes way to the forefront at precisely the right moments.

Combining blues, rock and even a little funk, The Blackberry Blues Band has created a collection of songs that are memorable and hit straight to your soul.

Fronted by the vocals of Pamela Moore, The Blackberry Blues Band sounds like a mix of Blondie and The Talking Heads paired with the powerfully soulful blues of the Allman Brothers Band that will take your breath away.

There’s no argument that this band is overflowing with talent. This is very well demonstrated with tracks such as One Good Reason to Believe and How Can You Do This Thing to Me. Every note is spot-on and the instrumental sections will leave you lost in the music.

Fred Scribner’s guitar playing is also worth noting. He takes a unique approach to traditional blues leads by mixing in some psychedelic overtones. This paired with the thumping bass lines laid down by David Meyers, the powerful rhythms of drummer Jim Verdi and the graceful keyboard skills provided by George Meyer give The Blackberry Blues Band a very well-rounded and full sound.

Covering not only the blues, but also some rock, country and even gospel influences makes The Blackberry Blues Band a wonderful listen for music fans across several genres.

4 out of 5 stars

You can learn more about The Blackberry Blues Band at www.theblackberrybluesband.com