Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
In 2012, the women of Blues pretty much had it their own way, Whether American like Beth Hart with her album Bang Bang Boom Boom or the superb British Blues supremo Joanne Taylor Shaw and her brilliant Almost Always Never, the gentlemen of the genre, with a couple of exceptions, seemed far behind, languishing in the wake that the women had created.
A new year, new Blues albums coming to the forefront and perhaps the men have caught up with the women in what should be considered the most equal opportunities genre around as the talent shines through regardless. This is very true of Danny Bryant whose latest album, Hurricane, shows that prestigious talent that marked him out as protégé of Walter Trout has not diminished and has become enhanced to the point where he should now be considered as one of the leading lights of British Blues.
Hurricane sees the young virtuoso take his music to a new level, the tag of one of the heavyweights of Blues rock richly deserved as his soulful ballads and the driving power and deftness of the guitar combine to create a Blues symphony, a creation that even the likes of modern day Blues giant Joe Bonamassa would be proud of having recorded. The tracks laid down for the album may appear simple but the music that Mr. Bryant, alongside Ken Bryant on bass and Trevor Barr on drums, originates and fuses together sounds as if there are more than just the three musicians performing, the Blues orchestra feel that Joe Bonamassa and Joanne Taylor Shaw has made their own over the years now has another acolyte that seems dedicated to carrying on this new tradition.
Starting off with the incredible Prisoner Of The Blues, the album and Danny Bryant walk a path that borders somewhere pure brilliance and unbelievable. Tracks such as Devil’s Got A Hold Of Me, All Or Nothing, the outstanding Greenwood 31 and I’m broken further enhance this young giant’s reputation.
Hurricane indeed, a whirlwind of Blues, devastatingly good and an album leaves you marvelling at the beauty of a musical nature.
Hurricane is released on May 6th.
Ian D. Hall