Gravel & Grace Bringing the Blues

Gravel & Grace
Bringing the Blues
Self-produced

According to the publicity for singers Ava Grace Merchant and Earl Matthews, they lead an innovative R&B and blues group fronted by two soulful blues singers. I don't want to be too negative about the enjoyable music, but what is innovative of mainly playing music that evokes classic rock and not the blues. To paraphrase an old fast-food burger commercial, "Where's the blues?"

One song, a well-played Crescent City styled shuffle, "Picture Perfect," is perhaps the only blues song. However, listening to Grace belt out "Scares Me," a listener might compare her to R&B inspired pop acts such as Tracey Nelson or Ten Wheel Drive. That said, she is an impressive singer that shows maturity beyond being 17 years old. Matthews himself has an enticing grainy voice displayed first on the southern rock-flavored "Next Move." Will Melendez's saxophone impresses here and throughout this recording. Others backing Grace and Matthews are guitarists Ricky Galvan and Issac Lewis, bassist Josh Broom, drummer Ray Vazira, and keyboardist Bart Szopinski.

Another song exhibiting Grace's alluring singing is the pop-rock "Bottles," where she displays her range and nuanced phrasing. "Love in the Brain' is a lovely soul-tinged ballad by Rhianna that Grace sings with considerable emotional depth. Matthews gravelly singing is heard on "When I'm Hungover," a song that evokes the Eagles or Jimmy Buffett. Matthews also exhibits an inviting casualness in his vocal on "Picture Perfect."

Based on this recording, if one had an opportunity to see Gravel & Grace, one could expect to have a most entertaining evening even if one might not anticipate much blues.

I received a review copy from a publicist. Here is "Scares Me" from the recording.