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Review: 'Backer, Matt'
'Get Backer'   

-  Label: 'Right Recordings'
-  Genre: 'Blues' -  Release Date: '15.9.14.'-  Catalogue No: 'RIGHT203'

Our Rating:
This album proves once more the old phrase Never Judge a book by its cover, as on that basis I wouldn't have even played this album assuming it was going to be some sub-beatles rubbish. Yes he sometimes is Julian Lennon's song writing partner but I didn't know that on seeing the album's awful punning title.

Then I took a look at the song titles and the album opens with the Histrionic Narcissist Blues (Let's Talk About Me) which is a great title and on popping it in the cd player I was converted before the end of the first song as this is a great slow blues about our societies current obsession with itself.

This is followed by a great chugging blues song Take Me Back to Abu Dhabi which is an odd concept for sure but damn a great tune that shows why Matt has spent his years in the Biz playing with among others Cher, Emmylou Harris, ABC, Alice Cooper and Elton John. It has a blistering solo and the sort of sound that will sound great on FM radio in the States and get all the good old boys scratching their heads at the lyrics which is cool.

He then takes on Sleepy John Estes Leaving Trunk and does a great modern blues version of it with some great slide guitar playing and some Nifty mouth harp. That's followed by the stunning Rock & Roll Headache that features guest vocals from Marcella Detroit and yes his vocals do go together nicely with Marcella's.

Starting Gun takes us down to the Bayou for some slow quiet delta blues that wouldn't have been out of place in Black Snake Moan. Too Big To Fail has some great Organ on it that Matt's guitar licks go over the top of a nice tune with the sort of chorus that is easy to sing along too. House Of Flying Daggers doesn't quite evoke the fight scene in the film it's named after but it could be another fight scene at a fractious workplace and sounds like the bluesiest end of Chris Rea's output.

Don't Talk is a blues to tell people to not talk about religion to him a brave song but also a damn fines blues rock song with some cool and clever lyrics. Salt In My Wounds is a great bluesy break up song that could have been inspired by the Blues Brothers and put a smile on my face before Matt's guitar plays a solo against the brass backing him a great song.

Then it's time for a cool finger snapping tune Hip Fatigue that chugs along nicely with outbreaks of guitar madness a very cool tune. The album closes with a nice version of the Mose Allison classic I Don't Worry About A Thing that has a bit of a Memphis Slim feel to it and is a great way to end what I have to say is a remarkably good album of Modern blues that at no point outstays it's welcome or gets soporific which for me at least is a massive bonus well worth finding from www.rightrecordings.com
  author: simonovitch

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