Kategorie: CD-Reviews | Genre: Blues/Bluesrock | Heft: Jahrgang 2013, eclipsed Nr. 153 / 9-2013 | VÖ-Jahr: 2013 | Wertung: 7/10 | Label: Eigenvertrieb | Autor: BSV
Whatever Chris Antonik's doing, it's working. Whether he starts "Have A Good Time" only with acoustic guitar, harmonica and vocals, leaves the field to the Hammond organ in "Shake Me Down" or presents in "Long Way To Go" an almost orchestral arrangement with brass parts and harmony singing - the blues rock of the Canadian convinces. The Spartan "Tell Me What You Need" he drives with a simple drum loop and with "I'll Help You Through" he gives the gentle charmer. It is precisely that so many facets form a homogeneous whole that makes "Better For You" so appealing. It's only Antonik's second solo album. But years of experience as a sideman in the Canadian blues scene have certainly contributed to the fact that it has become more than sovereign. The songwriting is right and his guitar solos are excellent, without pushing themselves too much into the foreground. He found prominent support in the Grammy winners Mike Mattison (lead vocals in one song) and Jeremy Darby (sound engineering). Also not to be despised: the numerous Hammond organ solos by Josh Williams.
Top track: Nothing I Can Do