Gulf Coast (label)
20 September 2019 (released)
24 September 2019
This was originally released as an independent recording a while back but the pair have now signed to Gulf Coast Records and the album has been given the attention it always deserved – it really is superb.
The first time I came across Ron Sayer was as a support act to the mighty Popa Chubby down in South London’s Boom Boom room.
I kept an eye on him as he is one of the more expressive guitarists I have seen and when he started playing with Charlotte Joyce the pair seemed to make 1+1=3 and I’ve seen them a live few times now.
This is their 3rd studio outing (they also have a live album ‘Live At The Little Theatre’) and they seem to be getting stronger all the time.
Charlotte Joyce has a perfect Blues/soul voice, heaps of power and just exuding sweet sexiness, and matched against Sayer’s playing they create a big and powerful noise with all the best attributes of horn loaded Blues but a strong original heart to it as well.
They open with ‘Backbone’ and all of their strengths seem to be wrapped up in the song; Joyce wailing and Sayer playing a hard Telecaster edged riff against horns and a stellar rhythm section. The song has a funky heart to it and it is a real ‘punch the air and shake your booty’ type of Blues.
That is followed by ‘Hard Love’ and now you get to hear the real strength of Charlotte Joyce as she delivers soft and sultry, very much in the manner of Lydia Pense, but with an underlying passion and power. A terrific soul track and featuring one of Mr Sayer’s better guitar solos.
One of my favourite numbers is ‘Things We Used To Do’. Another slow Blues with Joyce expressing herself with real pain & passion. That immediately leads into ‘No Galahad’ where Charlotte brings the smoke again over another staccato, funky Blues.
There isn’t a single ‘filler’ track here – the whole album works musically and delivers a great feeling of being in the room with the band.
It is a terrific album, full of power and ‘sass’, Sayer’s production is excellent and having it mixed by Mike Zito ensures a master at the tapes as well.
About time that it got a proper release.
