16 Blues songs to review was my mission if I chose to accept it, well naturally I did, otherwise you would not be reading this, but let me just tell you something, was I excited? Oh you can bet your bottom dollar I was. As a wannabe blues musician who thinks he is the next incarnation of a BB King who fell into a pot of Muddy Waters, I had no doubt that this experience would be one that I would need to saver. I got my old ghetto blaster out, sat it down on my veranda, climbed upon my hammock with a fresh cold brew and allowed the warm air and blues spirit rip through my Canterbury home.
This album has a great mix of blues, rock, bluegrass and the odd Ballard here and there. There is something for every mood, and to change ones mood at the same time.
The first song GB Boogie proves one thing to me, you do not always need someone singing int he song for you to have a good time. The whole song is started and finished with the trusty harmonica which just shows the prowess of this wonderful band.
Any Road Up is a favourite of mine when it comes to the album, this band really knows how to tell a story harking back to the old days of the ol blues story tellers from the southern states of the USA. The difference being that this includes Taranaki which i believe would be a head scratchier for those from New Orleans.
Crossroads Blues is a ring back to the old school sounding blues. I could almost imagine Muddy Waters being a part of this song which is a testament to how good this band sounds.
Just a quick break from reviewing the album as a whole, they have some live songs on this album and they sound absolutely magical. I cannot believe I have never witnessed this band in a live setting, I already know they would be one of my favourites of all time. Even my wife said they sound nice, which in musical terms is not exactly the highest honour to receive but coming from my wife, is a high esteemed descriptor word.
This album is a wonderful collection of the evolving sound of this wonderful band since the mid 1990's. I would do it an injustice to try and find as many adjectives for all the songs that kept me head bobbing and feet tapping for the best part of an hour. If blues music is your thing, this is a must in your music collection, it is very refreshing to know that Aotearoa produces their own excellent blues music and I am very proud to highlight them here during this review. This definitely gets a Chris Chick seal of approval mandated 4 out of 5 stars, I would have given them 5, but that would just be unfair on Kokomo having reached the promised land of ratings and thus have nothing to work for in the future.
Great work and very much looking forward to new stuff coming in the near future.
Hailing from the sunny Bay of Plenty, blues 'n' roots band Kokomo (originally 'Kokomo Blues') has been together now since the 1990's, and has become renowned for dynamic live shows and smart distinctive song-writing, as well as the band’s unique harmonica-trumpet horn section. During this time the band has toured extensively throughout New Zealand, performing at the country’s major rock, blues, jazz and folk festivals.
Between touring the band has released thirteen albums, a live concert DVD and several singles. The first two albums were collections of traditional blues, while subsequent releases predominantly feature the band’s own songs while occasionally dipping back into the blues world.
Along the way Radio New Zealand has recorded five programmes focusing on Kokomo’s music, and they have appeared on various TV channels. Kokomo’s music has also been used as the soundtrack for projects as diverse as TV gardening shows and surfing videos. It has also featured on such popular programmes as Shortland Street.