HANK SHIZZOE - Songsmith

Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Singer-Songwriter, Blues/Bluesrock | Heft: Jahrgang 2014, eclipsed Nr. 162 / 7-8-2014 | VÖ-Jahr: 2014 | Wertung: 7.5/10 | Label: Blue Rose | Autor: BSV


Shizzoe made a name for himself through his long-standing collaboration with Stephan Eicher. "Songsmith", his first solo album after four years, bears his title quite rightly, because the Bernese artist sovereignly slips into the role of the songwriter who uses the blues as a starting point. The opener "Rocket Ship" is still pure rootsblues with hard acoustic guitars, which could come from the swamps of Louisiana. But "The Ghost Of Pain" is already a blues number, which demonstrates the versatility of Shizzoe: Simply wonderful how a David Lindley slide guitar harmonizes with cheeping synthesizers. "Thanks To You" reminds of Johnny Cash, "I Talk Too Much" surprises with its electronic sounds. "Like It's 1929" is pure cabaret and "Light Up" a sweet ballad with a singing duet with Shirley Grimes. As different as the twelve songs may be, they all work thanks to the mature songwriting. And no one can resist a fast blues like "Where I Come From" anyway.

Top track: Where I Come From

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