Get ready for a phenomenal collection of indie music from a genre that is absolutely brimming with talent right now. Bongo Boy Records has put together yet another stellar compilation album comprised of indie artists from around the world. This latest release – Backroom Blues, Vol. Ten – is a dynamic, soulful, explosive album containing nothing but blues music from a wildly talented group of performers.
This compilation kicks off with a rich, powerhouse vocal from Sheba The Mississippi Queen and her single Keeping What I Got. The classic nature of this track makes it a fine introduction to what this collection of music is all about – authentic, down-to-earth blues music. This leads into Kentucky Bourbon Warms Me More Than You Do by MUTO, a twangy and soulful blues ballad driven by raw electric guitar solos and tied together with a strong, melancholy voice.
The L&M Project Band gives us Blues Magoo feat. Mark Ervie De Jesus, and this uptempo number provides a welcome layer of sonic texture and a modern feel, and hints of funk and R&B at times. Ann M. Wolf brings us back down to the somberness we know (and love) the blues for, her jazzy voice serving as an ethereal focal point of this slow, swinging ballad I Feel a Song Comin’ On.
Don’t Call Her Mama by Doug Byrkit is a standout in this collection. Byrkit’s voice is clear and emphatic, and the track is tastefully laden with guitar riffs and a punchy bassline. It’s a decidedly uptempo number but still clearly holds a blues foundation, and the intricate drum fills are the cherry on top of this vibrant track.
Big Bone Daddy‘s track Crazy has ’50s energy, with hints of surf rock peeking out between its bluesy harmonica runs and vocal rasps. Lyia Meta pulls us shortly thereafter in the opposite direction, a jazz-pop number Daylight full of soft, warm moments and gentle rhythms. Down The Rabbit Hole by Bible Belt Blues feels a little alt-bluesy, a definitive edge and bite in its execution, heavy on the vocal effects, slow, and intentional its minimalistic production choices.
A Man Ain’t Supposed To Cry by Rev. Yolanda is yet another standout on this project. This track puts the harmonica on a brilliant display. The vocals are rooted in alt-rock tones, and the guitars have that same crunch and rhythm that one might expect of that genre, but every time that harmonica riff comes back around, the song feels blues to the bone.
Jonah Whale‘s My Tattoo has plenty of rock influence above its soulful foundation, but it’s Whale’s raspy, textured voice that makes this track a natural selection for this collection. Charles Brown takes us back to the roots of the genre with Six Pack Blues – as an instrumental track, we’re treated to blues riff after blues riff by a handful of players with some serious chops. Closing things out is Grit’s Guitar with No Man’s Land, another instrumental track that personifies this genre to the core – slow and cutting blues riffs over a sober, subdued beat; it’s everything we love about a classic blues track.
If you’re a fan of undiscovered blues artists – this compilation was practically tailor-made for you. But anyone who can appreciate some impassioned, soulful vocals, dynamite guitar solos, and a great spread of songwriting skill will find plenty to like on Backroom Blues, Vol. Ten. You should know by now that when Bongo Boy Records is on a mission to find and combine great indie artists of any genre, they are extraordinarily likely to succeed, as well as surpass all expectations – and Backroom Blues, Vol. Ten is most definitely their latest smashing success.
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