Hurricane Ruth Good Life

Hurricane Ruth
Good Life
American Showplace Music

Reviewing Hurricane Ruth LaMaster’s “Ain’t Ready For The Grave,” I wrote, “Ruth LeMaster earned her name because of her huge voice in a small package  … .” I found that album to be a “solidly performed collection of blues and rock that displays Hurricane Ruth as a powerful and expressive vocalist.” Much the same can be said about this new recording whose ten tracks include eight written or co-written by her. Backing her on this recording are Scott Holt on guitar, Bruce Katz on keyboards, Calvin Johnson on bass, and Tony Braunagel on drums.

The songs are a mix of bluesy rock and roll to soulful ballads that demonstrate her vocal and emotional range. She certainly comes off with cyclonic force on the rollicking rock of “Like Wildfire.” She might be shouting the blues here, but never gets histrionic or shrill. Katz is terrific here while Holt has a hot short guitar break.  “Dirty Blues” has another powerful vocal, although Holt’s nasty tone lends this a blues-rock flavor.  It is followed by one of the strongest songs here, “What You Never Had.” Written with Tom Hambridge, this is a relaxed shuffle with Katz smoking on the organ. The lyrics derive from a comment her late mother made about not worrying about one never had as life is about living. The vocal is as stunning as the song.  Even better is the title track, which was based on a conversation with her mother a year before she passed. Again, the lyrics stand out as does the atmospheric vocal and backing. Holt’s solo is striking set against Katz’s organ. One might easily recommend this album based on just these two tracks.

 Other tracks of note include the rendition of Gary Nicholson’s “Torn in Two,” with searing blues-rock guitar behind her vigorous singing. “Black Sheep” is a fun bluesy rock performance where Ruth celebrates being a bit of a badass. “Who I Am” is about leaving behind her previous life of partying and addiction and no longer who she was. There is a conviction in her singing that comes from her living what she is singing about.  It is another terrific track on an outstanding blues and rock recording.

I received my review copy from a publicist. Here is Hurricane Ruth in performance.

Chris O'Leary Gonna Die Trying

There is something about Chris O'Leary's music that strikes the listener immediately and it is the authority that he brings to his songs, and his songs have a reality to them that make his vigorous singing sound so powerful. O'Leary served in the Marines for 7 years and played for six years as a mem­ber of Levon Helm’s Barn­burn­ers, and this is reflected in his superb new American Showcase Music CD "Gonna Die Trying." In addition to his vocals and strong harmonica playing, he is backed by Chris Vitarello on gui­tar, Andy Stahl and Chris Difrancesco on sax­o­phones, Matt Ray­mond on bass and Jay Devlin on drums. In addition to his band, other players on this include Bruce Katz on piano & organ, Vin­nie Nobile on trom­bone, and Willa Pan­vini McCarthy & Libby Cabello on back­ground vocals. John Mooney is a spe­cial guest on one track.

One thing that strikes this listener from the first selection, "Can't Help Yourself," is his raspy, cleanly articulated, rapid-fire vocals. He commands our attention singing about going of the war and then returning home to find promises made before he served were empty; that jobs being exported overseas labor overseas with unions being blamed; and there being too little money for our war casualties today. Similarly powerful songs include "19¢ a Day," set against a crisp John Lee Hooker boogie groove, and the stark "Letters From Home," (opening with terrific guitar from Vitarello) where O'Leary sings of being terrified and lonesome in a dirty hole a thousand miles from home with desert winds chilling him to the bone in the god-forsaken combat zone. His vocal is compelling (his vocal dynamics is exemplary) and the backing is terrific. "One More Saturday Night," is a superb shuffle as he displays his formidable harmonica chops, on a song about about making it through the week, and needing one more Saturday night to let loose. The spirited "Harvest Time" has a New Orleans second-line groove with John Mooney adding slide guitar.

There is so much to like about Chris O'Leary and with excellent songs, and first-rate backing from his band and guests, O'Leary's "Gonna Die Trying" is sensational.

I received my review copy from the label. Here is he performing "Letters From Home."