NICO DUPORTAL & HIS RHYTHM DUDES - DEALING WITH MY BLUES

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1. Don't You See   2. I Know The Rules   3. Now Hush   4. The One To Blame   5. I Will Unfriend You   6. Mess And Chaos   7. Benzola Ascensor   8. Sometimes   9. Brand New Day   10. Junior's Mambo   11. Soul Patch   12. Long Way To Go   13. Mess And Chaos (acoustic)

Rhythm Bomb Records / RBR 5844

Fact: Nico Duportal is one of the top Rhythm'n'Blues singers and guitar players nowadays, if not just the best.

Fact: His Rhythm Dudes are around the same level than their band leader. Then, also top level worldwide.

With these ingredients, this "Dealing With My Blues" CD released by Rhythm Bomb Records has to be a good record... and a good record it is. But (this time here we have a but) I wonder what would it have been like with much less organ and much more piano, as it was in Nico Duportal & His Rhythm Dudes' previous records, such as in 2015 "Guitar Player", reviewed by yours truly in this very same blog back in May 2015.

It's just a matter of oppinion but for me, in this "Dealing With My Blues", the songs where the organ is less evident or it is substituted straightaway by the piano are the best ones. Take "I Know The Rules", "Long Way To Go" or the acoustic version of "Mess And Chaos", that comes as a bonus track on the CD, as examples.

So, a good record, even a very good record, that would be close to excellence with more piano. By the way, it has been released in CD and LP format.

SARA LEE - QUEEN OF YOUR HEART

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1. Oh Oh   2. Voodoo Voodoo   3. New York City Bank   4. Stand By My Side   5. Queen Of Your Heart   6. Bahama Mama   7. Ain't That Kinda Girl   8. Gipsy In Me   9. Tongue Is Tied   10. Mr. Valentine   11. Down The Line   12. Don't Bring Me Down   13. Now Go!

Rhythm Bomb Records / RBR 5831

Released in 2016 by Rhythm Bomb Records, here we have "Queen Of Your Heart" by Finnish singer Saara Lehtomäki, of stage name Sara Lee, and her band.

Thirteen songs have been included into the CD, all of them composed by Sara Lee and guitar player Markus Tiiro. Some titles might sound familiar to some of you ("Voodoo Voodoo", "Gipsy In Me" or "Down The Line" for instance) but all of them are originals.

About Sara Lee's singing style, maybe it will seem reminiscent of that of Imelda May sometimes... Nothing wrong with that from my point of view: in the 1950's almost all male Rock'n'Roll singers wanted to sound like Elvis Presley, so it's absolutely understandable that nowadays some female Rock'n'Roll singers get a touch of Imelda's style. Anyway, I believe that Sara Lee is a step closer to pure, old Rock'n'Roll and Rockabilly than the Irish star. Let's be clear: Sara Lee is not a copycat.

In this CD, even though that Rockin' edge from Sara Lee, there are some songs that get closer to other styles, like the jazzy feel shown on "New York City Bank" and "Down The Line", or the Latin touch given to "Gipsy In Me". All that said, I prefer Sara Lee on the uptempo Rockers, being my favourite "Ain't That Kinda Girl". Songs that can also be highlighted would be "Voodoo Voodoo" and "Don't Bring Me Down".

A Rock'n'Roll singer with a beautiful voice backed by a good Rockin' band make this record a recommended one.