Black Bone Child Take You Blind Review by Gary Hill
Black Bone Child’s Alligator disc (reviewed in this same issue of Music Street Journal) showcased a blues heavy, hard rock sound that’s well rooted in the classic rock traditions. Well, in many ways this album is the same. The difference is, it’s all acoustic based. Once more, there are no molds being broken or genre being shattered, but it’s just potent music that should appeal to a wide range of people – well done!
This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2010 Volume 3 at lulu.com/strangesound.
Track by Track Review
Baby Baby
They open things up with a killer, acoustic slide blues and mouth harp type of jam. This feels a lot like some of the stuff Zeppelin used to do. They power it up and intensify it a bit, but this really seems like it could have come from Zeppelin’s third album – mind you with some different vocals.
By My Hand More pure blues, this is even more thoroughly acoustic in delivery. The vocals are a bit on the raw side in terms of lyrics, but this is a great cut.
Tell Me I'm Wrong Maintaining the acoustic approach, this one is more of a classic rock tune. I’m not saying that there’s no blues in it, but it’s a lot less blues oriented than the first couple tracks.
The Flames Are Warm This reminds me a lot of Led Zeppelin’s redition of Robert Johnson’s “Traveling Riverside Blues”. It’s high energy, very blues oriented and quite acoustic.
Mine Here’s another that has that acoustic guitar meets classic rock approach. It’s catchy and quite tasty. The vocal arrangement on this is the best part of the track.
Ask For Forgiveness An even more stripped back acoustic blues number, this is quite compelling.
Time Pass Me By Another energized, acoustic based classic rock sounding piece with a basis in blues, this is strong.
Dying For Your Love Normally I don’t think keeping the slowest and mellowest piece for the last slot is a good idea. Somehow, in this instance, it works. This is an emotional acoustic rock ballad.
