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Non-Prog CD Reviews

Andy Gunn

Bonar Bridge Sessions

Review by Gary Hill

Bluesy rock music is the concept here. At times it leans more toward traditional blues. At times it comes in closer to the hard rock end. It’s always entertaining, though. If you like guitar heavy blues based music, you are sure to enjoy this.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2016  Volume 1 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
Just a Man

There are some hints of things like The Allman Brothers on this thing, but overall it’s a classy, old school blues jam. It has some great slide guitar and really rocks.

The Struie Boogie
This instrumental is classy. It’s old school blues and features some smoking hot guitar soloing.
Blues Are Killing Me
Somehow this hot blues tune makes me think of Stevie Ray Vaughn in a lot of ways. It is another strong cut on a disc that’s full of them.
Dundonnell Mississippi
This old school blues cut makes me think of Canned Heat quite a bit. It has some great slide guitar, but that’s a given on this disc.
Poor Man
There are no big surprises here. Rather we get another smoking hot helping of old school blues styled music.
Misery Blues
A slower blues, this thing is one of the meatiest pieces here. It has a bit of Jimi Hendrix in it to me in some ways. It’s a killer tune with a lot of charm.
Funk in the Family Style
I’m kind of guessing that the titles are reversed on this piece and the next. This is a fairly short instrumental with a lot of soulful groove to it. .
T-Bone Strut
I’m thinking that the previous cut was actually “T-Bone Strut” and this one is “Funk in the Family Style,” but that’s not how the album cover lists it. Here we have a very short (less than 30 seconds) jam that’s got a lot of funk in the mix. 
Between Worlds
Here we get another classy blues tune. It reminds me of a cross between Stevie Ray Vaughn and Robin Trower with some more old school blues masters added to the mix.
Blast Off
Jazz and blues merge on this energetic instrumental jam. It’s a tasty cut, but they all are, really.
You Can’t Break This
Now, this blues rocker really does make me think of Trower quite a bit. It’s got a lot of funk on the bass line. It really works well. In fact, it’s one of my favorites here.
Balls to the Wall
This energized cut feels a lot of like SRV to me. In fact, it reminds me in some ways of specific songs of his. It’s an instrumental with some nods to Chuck Berry, too.
Moonlit Rainbow
SRV and Trower are merged on this instrumental. It’s no big change, but it works well.
Down the Road I Go
This is closer to something Canned Heat might have done. It has some killer guitar soloing. Given the strength of the solos on other songs, it says a lot that it stands out that much. I can make out some Allman Brothers vibe here, too.
Blue Smoke
This instrumental is solid. It’s also no real surprise. I think this is bout the point of the disc where the formula starts to wear a bit thin. It’s not bad. It just feels like we’ve heard it before.
Country Fried Pickin’
Although this is a killer instrumental, again it feels like a step too far in terms of over-staying the welcome.
Ludwig’s Blues
Not really breaking any new territory, this is effective, just a bit samey.
Please Don't Turn Me Away

A slower blues rocker, this is another that makes me think of Trower. It’s also one of the stronger cuts here. That means it manages to rise about the formula to really shine. It does tend to go on a bit too long, though.

 
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