Sugar Boy and the Sinners – All You Can Eat
Sinners Records – 2014
Thirteen Tracks with a total running time of 47:31
The debut CD release of Dutch band Sugar Boy and the Sinners’ All You Can Eat is driven by Boy Vielvoye, (vocals and harmonica) Ronnie Guerin, (guitars) Vinnie Guerin, (double bass) and Frankie Duindam (drums, percussion, keys on track 13). Produced by Mischa Den Haring (who also plays keys and second guitar on track 4) All You Can Eat is 13 tracks of original tunes with lyrics by Boy Vielvoye and music by Ronnie Guerin except for track 4 music by V. Guerin, tracks 6 and 11 music by Sugar Boy and the Sinners and track 13 music by Boy Vielvoye arranged by Sugar Boy and the Sinners.
All You Can Eat was recorded live in an amazing two days time at the Ijland Studio in Amsterdam. (one of my favorite cities) While the band has only toured professionally since 2010 they have played many festivals and music venues in Europe and the United States alongside music greats such as Robert Cray, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Gov’t Mule and Walter Trout.
From the beginning track “Third Round of Gin” to the end you can tell these guys are serious, professional musicians. Balancing leads between harmonica and guitar there is a lot to like on this recording. “Third Round of Gin” is a straight ahead blues rocker with an obvious drinking theme that would work in any barroom juke box.
“It Won’t Be Long” is another rocker that invites comparisons to The Fabulous Thunderbirds work when J. Vaughn was still with the band. The hauntingly rumba blues beat of “She Tricked Me” is an invitingly infectious groove on an old theme of love insanity.
Boy Vielvoye’s voice is easy on the ears with a blue eyed soul delivery and appropriate growls where needed. His harp playing has a classic feel reminiscent of Charlie Musselwhite. With Ronnie Guerin playing steady, steamy guitar and Vinnie Guerin with Frankie Duindam rounding out the rhythm section on these thirteen original tunes one would not be wasting their time or money on this recording. Judging from their web site Sugar Boy and the Sinners will not be in a Blues club in the states any time soon but if you happen to be somewhere across the big pond soon you might want to check them out – I would.
Sugar Boy and the Sinners have won the Dutch Blues Challenge in 2012, third place for European Blues Challenge in 2013, semi-finalists in the International Blues Challenge, (Blues Music Foundation – Memphis, TN) and the winner of the Blues & Wine Festival Award, Sicily. The following nominations are in the band’s resume as well: Frankie Duindam for Best Dutch Blues Drummer 2013, “Sugar” Boy Vielvoye for Best Dutch Blues Harmonica Player 2013, and Sugar boy and the Sinners for Best Dutch Blues Band 2013.
