1. Promised Land
2. Ghost Town Blues
3. Betty May
4. K'eb
5. Truth
6. Revolution
7. The Thrill Is Gone
8. If You Love Me
9. Telluride Blues
10. Becker's Run
Total time: 40:23
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Slideaway
Mark Searcy
self-released
As the CD's title and cover suggest, there's lots of slide guitar here. Award-winning, Texas-based Searcy employs the style with six-string, 12-string, acoustic, electric and resonator guitars. "Slideaway" is his third release, and the first to be almost entirely made up of original material (B.B. King's "The Thrill Is Gone" is the only cover).
He wastes no time getting down to business with the opening "Promised Land," a blues-rock number with an unusual backbeat that pricks up the ears in the first few bars. Note-bending riffs underscore lyrics addressing social issues from vigilantism to No Child Left Behind to original sin.
"Ghost Town Blues" is the first of four instrumentals and one of four songs featuring harmonica by Drywall Dave Schlabach, the only other musician on this mostly DIY affair (Searcy handles bass himself and uses a drum machine on songs with percussion). Electric slide, acoustic 12-string and chromatic harp combine to invoke a gothic Western feel.
"Betty May" is an electric blues tune about a car – or is it? – with solos alternating between harmonica and guitar. "K'eb" is an acoustic instrumental that sounds more like K'eb Mo' mentors Ry Cooder and Taj Mahal playing together for the first time since the Rising Sons broke up. "If You Love Me" is a pop-rocker in which electric slide does the chorus rather than vocals, and also has great-sounding rhythm guitar. "Becker's Run" closes the album on a high note, with an extended electric instrumental that channels Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughan simultaneously.
external links
artist's link
iTunes Store
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