Independent (label)
11 August 2018 (released)
11 August 2018
One of the advantages of increasing age is that I was lucky enough to hear most of the singers who are today considered ‘True Greats’ when they were in their prime - I’m talking about Janis Joplin, Lydia Pense, Grace Slick and Tina Turner.
Since those halcyon days there are many singers who have tried to drag themselves into that company but I have to say that Karen Lawrence gets a hell of a lot closer than most.
If your bag is passionate Blues sung by a woman who exhibits all the power and depth of feeling that form needs then this most definitely is going to be for you (and me). Her band are superb; funky and powerful but always supporting the vocal rather than laying over it.
Over the years she has shared the stage with Coco Taylor, Buddy Guy, been praised for her great voice by John Lee Hooker and been singing in Blues bands since she was 9 years old – all that experience show in her presentation and the way that she approaches her Blues. This is the Blues of woman trying to make her way in a man’s world and fighting the pricks at every turn
From the opening faltering vocal of ‘Fun And Games’ you get the emotion draining out of Ms Lawrence vocal – you can just imaging the head lifted and the eyes shut as she pours her soul out all over the stage.
The funky strut of ‘I Had It All Wrong’ underpins a blistering vocal that just about tears the paint off the walls while ‘Its Been So Long’ shows she can do a more subtle touch to her music as well.
This is a condensed version of the ‘Live At The Lake’ CD which caught the band in 1997 and it really packs punch after punch into an 8 song package.
I really cannot think of another singer around today who has impressed me like Karen Lawrence – more please.
