Liverpool Sound and Vision Rating * * * * *
The feel of the raw emotion of the Blues in the 21st Century is now a given, the lean years of the genre firmly displaced in time, smoothed over as a gentle reminder to all that if you take a moment or a movement for granted then eventually it will grind to a halt and turn to dust; and yet the listener cannot but be helped drawn to a time when the Blues was at its zenith, the golden age of the sultry and the smoky bars, where imagination and the flow of music went hand in hand and leads you to front table by the stage, directly in the eye line of the steady and composed talent acting as the Muse and love for the night.
In Debbie Bond’s new release, Live At The Song Theater, the sense of majesty transcends the classic era and the new polish of a venturing century; a melding of time in which the artist’s voice is framed by optimism and hope, but one also grounded in the security that only the Blues can offer, that of satisfying realism and a fair degree of cynicism which brings a union of flavours together as the album progresses.
Such a revelation of music should come as no surprise to the listener that has become conversant with the dedication to her craft that Ms. Bond has provided and strived for. From the backwoods of Alabama to the front stage of her choice, the meaning and anguish so craved by the genre’s sound is instrumental in bringing the magic home, and with artistic support from the exciting trio of Rick Asherson, Marcus Lee, Sam Williams on keyboards, drums, and saxophone, the combination inside the venue generates a deep founding inspiration, the sultry bliss of the Blues kissed by expertise and fierce cool.
From the initial moments of That Thing Called Love and Road Song, Debbie Bond and her musically talented band stir furiously but with a design of mindful conscious and sensitive beats and the resulting live recording is one of ample respect and appreciation. With inspirations and musical dramas as creatively endearing as Watch Out For Your Heart, Some Kind Of Wonderful, I’m Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down, and Nothing But The Blues all playing their productive part in the live atmosphere of Alabama’s Song Theater, so the status of the artist is once again confirmed and endorsed by the listener.
Raw, emotional, fiercely driven, expertly presented, this is classic Blues meeting 21st Century understanding, and it is undeniably stunning.
Debbie Bond releases Live At The Song Theater on August 1st.
Ian D. Hall