The Bluesbunny Music Reviews Archive

The Bluesbunny Music Reviews

Union Street Blues

By Any Means Necessary

No catalogue number

2007

Union Street Blues is the brainchild of Buddy Cleveland from Pennsylvania and this album starts with a definite hint of The Fabulous Thunderbirds and the 50s big band sound, giving this Bluesbunny a dose of the rockin' Blues (and thank Muddy there isn't a cure!)

Showing that these guys are no one trick pony, "In a Situation" kicks down the gears, starting with sinister jungle bass and drum line, then adding a snake-like harp line. When the vocals kick in with pad like guitar lines and sax stabs, you're in no doubt that Buddy has got himself into something serious! Solos from Rhodes piano and guitar add to flavour, which is always underpinned by the busy bass. A harp solo sees the track out, and Buddy bares his soul again with licks which would make Kim Wilson green with envy.

Lyrically Union Street Blues are bang-up-to-date when they sing about MySpace and the dangers of letting your woman lose on the internet. Musically though, these guys are soaked in tradition as this track tips its hat to the past with a great walking bass, bouncing drums and down and dirty slide guitar.

Throwing the listener another curve is the Santana feel of "Killing Me". A smooth and melodic guitar led intro weaves around minor horn pads while the down-tempo bass curls around a samba like drum pattern. Another soul wrenching harp solo makes way for the album's best guitar solo, with its opening hint of black magic thingy … Neil Taylor shows his flair and technique without disappearing down the Gary Moore route of flash for flash's sake. Thought the coup de grace has to be the call and response horn solos which bring this track to a satisfying conclusion. I think I need a cigarette!

Ending down and dirty with a bit of stripped down swamp blues in "So Comfortable", Union Street Blues have covered all the bases and created a CD which should be on every Roadhouse jukebox! Available from CD Baby.

Review by: Bluesbunny from Montgomery

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