blues
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One genre that's not very present on Merchants Of Air, is blues. There's a good reason for that. None of us actually are blues fans. For me personally, it's more like a background genre for some reason. At some family friendly festivals, I often hear blues bands but I rarely pay any attention to them. In fact, most of the time I spend my time in the merchandise area or looking for something to eat. On other occasions, blues is played in bars where I go to concerts, before and in between the bands I came to see. Yet, truth is, I know very little blues bands by name.
Yet, like with everything, there are exceptions. You've probably already guessed it, this is one of those. Allow me to introduce Cotton Belly's, a young band from France. This quartet has found a way to please the die-hard blues purists as well as raise some heads in different genres. If there's one blues album I'd like to recommend this year, it will probably be this one. Not only because it's probably the only one I will be listening too, but also because this is quite an interesting album.
The albums opens with the uplifting and energetic 'Rainy Road' which immediately shows what this band stands for; blues with a poppy, folky and a rock 'n' roll edge. This stuff will guarantee some dancing feet wherever it is played. That uptempo recipe is often repeated, resulting in some nice songs like 'Given'. Yet, there is also plenty of room for classic blues ballads, highlighting in 'Family Chains', which somehow also reminds me of something between Simply Red and Terence Trent D'Arby.
That being said, both acts have been known to write decent songs, pleasing millions around the world. I'm quite positive that Cotton Belly's could do exactly the same and I wouldn't be surprised if some of these songs become huge hits. In the current garbage-loaded pop industry, this band could be a welcome variation, some decent music for a chance. To be honest, closer 'From This Town' sounds like it could have already been a massive hit by someone like Donovan or Dylan.
Serge
Yet, like with everything, there are exceptions. You've probably already guessed it, this is one of those. Allow me to introduce Cotton Belly's, a young band from France. This quartet has found a way to please the die-hard blues purists as well as raise some heads in different genres. If there's one blues album I'd like to recommend this year, it will probably be this one. Not only because it's probably the only one I will be listening too, but also because this is quite an interesting album.
The albums opens with the uplifting and energetic 'Rainy Road' which immediately shows what this band stands for; blues with a poppy, folky and a rock 'n' roll edge. This stuff will guarantee some dancing feet wherever it is played. That uptempo recipe is often repeated, resulting in some nice songs like 'Given'. Yet, there is also plenty of room for classic blues ballads, highlighting in 'Family Chains', which somehow also reminds me of something between Simply Red and Terence Trent D'Arby.
That being said, both acts have been known to write decent songs, pleasing millions around the world. I'm quite positive that Cotton Belly's could do exactly the same and I wouldn't be surprised if some of these songs become huge hits. In the current garbage-loaded pop industry, this band could be a welcome variation, some decent music for a chance. To be honest, closer 'From This Town' sounds like it could have already been a massive hit by someone like Donovan or Dylan.
Serge
