Jeff Fetterman-Southern Son
Jeff Fetterman, Southern Son
http://www.jefffetterman.com/
Jeff Fetterman, is a self taught blues rock guitarist, with gritty vocals, and an aggressive delivery, whilst retaining an impassioned depth behind his music. Delve into his Southern Son album, and you’ll find liberal doses of funk, R&B, as well as Motown influences, that are entwined in the overall rock edged matrix. The addition of horns, add to the Southern flavourings, and Motown vibe, it makes for a very tasty feast of music.
The album unleashes its roller coaster ride with a switch back rock blues, with many of those elements, the grit, aggression and blasting horns, ‘I Don’t Want To’, proves to a be a mere indicator of what’s to come. We are about to be taken on a road trip, down through Clarkesdale, to arrive at highway, ‘49-61’. This is a real blast, some fabulous horns, both collectively, and solo’s, I don’t have the breakdown of the band, but there is a devilishly deep voice, joining Jeff, he declares “I’m gonna make you a star Robert Johnson”, the horns take it out, into bowels of the earth accompanied by a deep, deep chuckle. It works wonderfully well, will have you reaching for a replay.
‘Memphis Sky’, is an easy, country blues, heavens full of soul, underpinned by subtle organ score. Contrastingly, ‘Going Down To Nashville’, has the licks and groove that would bring a smile to any Chuck Berry fan, along with lyrics that describe “long sexy legs, beautiful thighs”, perfect to get you up and jiving.
If you like your blues, passionate and slow burning, then the beautiful, ‘Living With The Blues’, is made to measure, with rich but not overindulgent guitar solo, and a soulful delivery of just living with the blues. There’s more gritty rocking blues rhythms to be enjoyed in ‘Aint Got You’, and, ‘Tell Me Baby’, that will have many up dancing, (even old B’s like me).
Tom Petty, seems to pop into my head, listening to the excellent, ‘Feels Like Rain’, it rips along at a lively pace, with very nice guitar licks taking over from the lyrics, as Fetterman floors the throttle.
There are a couple of instrumentals, which maybe a tad overlong at over 6.30 minutes, but, ‘Voodoo Funk’, is a hell of a concoction, with bass rhythms, lower than the floor, and Jeff plucking out the jazz notes, and the chill out ‘Blues For Charlie’, with keys and gentle rhythm, making way to Fetterman lovely guitar solo’s.
Fetterman gives the nod to Hendrix, with his take on, ‘All Along The Watchtower’, with a well funked up lead in, ice cool, that rapidly evaporates into those familiar chords, a nice take on this classic, with Jeff climbing that tower his way.
Last but a long way from least, a bonus track, I don’t understand bonus tracks, they’re either on record, or not, aren't they? Whatever, ‘Southside Blues’, proves to be a chilled out instrumental, the keyboards driving it forward. Whilst undoubtedly superb musicianship, making a fascinating journey, I’m not really sure that an extra instrumental is needed. However, that’s not to say the album is any less for that, there are some excellent songs in Southern Son, delivered in style and well worth diving into. Jeff Fetterman, is well equipped for Blues, with that gritty timbre, sweet guitar, and well crafted lyrics. The addition of the horn section brings the true added bonus, in bringing us an excellent album.
Produce at Greaseland Studios, California, with Kristoffer ‘Kid’ Andersen bass Ralph Retinger, drums John McGuire, keyboards Kid Andersen, trumpet John Halbleib, trombone Ric Feliciano, sax Doug Rowan, and additional, vocals ‘Kid’ Andersen.
4 Goin’ Down To Nashville
10 All Along The Watchtower
http://www.jefffetterman.com/
