Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating 8.5/10
It may be considered unlawful but to love Eliza Neals’ new album Breaking and Entering is to know that out there in the land of Blues the flag is forever being flown and with great pride by the women of the genre.
The pleading of guilty as charged is to be heard as the big noise, the feeling of controlled chaos, of subtle disorder and beautiful bedlam comes over in waves as Ms. Neals’ takes on the mantle of a woman with heart the size of the Delaware River, one that lays the foundation for revolution and seizure of the listener’s capital interest, but also the pleasure of a female with attitude, of ground stomping blues luxury and composed flirtation; it is the resting place for an album to roar with delight and sink the pool table balls as it chugs away with flowing beer and restless heart.
Breaking and Entering is hungry, it has the feel of ravenous delight attached to it, the lyrics devour sentiment and chew on the gristle of discontent, swallowing whole the desire to perform; Breaking and Entering preys on the symbolic and oozes feminine charm and as it does it kicks out under the table at the indecisive and strokes the thigh of the welcoming’ Blues doesn’t get that much more entertaining in the modern age.
The album is certainly defiant, it is raw and blistering and throughout it all it pays homage to the true heroines of Blues, those who don’t take any amount of insincerity from the detractors, all they ever wanted was the respect they were due and if nothing else, you find yourself respecting the hell out of Eliza Neals.
In tracks such as Jekyll and Hound, Goo Goo Glass, I’m The Girl and Southern Comfort Dreams, Ms. Neals doesn’t just break down a few barriers imposed by male subjectivity, she smashes the door down, severs the windows from their frames and steals your Blues driven heart in the process, leaving only a note behind with her name and where to find more of her insatiably appetising music.
Breaking and Entering is a grand Blues album, one with attitude and strength in depth, it is an album that is locked down completely and full of prized possessions.
Ian D. Hall