Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * *
With logic and reason going hand in hand with passionate freshly wrapped Blues, you would not expect anything less than sincerity and well delivered grooves from a band from Birmingham, Liverpool after all may be the heart and soul of the U.K.’s music appreciation but Birmingham offers the listener a certain abounding gravitas untouched by other parts of the country; it is a resonance of spirit that comes across fully in Broken Witt Rebels new E.P. Georgia Pine.
The oozing of class from generations of Midland’s based blues men and women comes across long before you stake out the credits and realise that the band, Danny Core, Luke Davis, James Dudley and James Tranter, not only offer a bruising encounter which will be coveted and crowed over like a boxer going ten rounds with a sax loving champion but loving every second of the encounter, but knowing the direction is in part owed to the sound captured by Producer Tom Gittins and the heritage of having worked with Robert Plant; it is a rare marriage that works so well, the heritage guiding the passion, the passion leading the heritage down a new and exciting road.
The five track E.P. is entrenched in the blues, it positively revels in it and drags insanely beautiful soul and riotous Rock along for the ride, all three genres, so distinct, so full of meaty power on their own, somehow combining to bombarded the listener with note after note of protesting, screaming, heart-tugging blues, it is a series of progression that kicks down doors and announces itself with the hard stare, knowing full well, nobody dare take it on.
Broken Witt Rebels reach out with this E.P. and with the tracks Suzie, Getaway Man and Guns really ask the listener to place themselves into the heart of each bar and deftly covered bristling guitar section, the effect is the same as finding the ability to stop a runaway train hurtling towards the end of the line with just the power of suggestion; a moment of sheer bliss in which you can talk about forever.
A very fine E.P. from one of Birmingham’s great young groups, Georgia Pine is a hell of way to introduce your selves to the nation.
Ian D. Hall