Blind Lemon Pledge – Lemon Live!
Self Released
13 tracks/51 minutes
The Bay Area acoustic artist Blind Lemon Pledge released his tenth album last year and now follows that up with his first live album featuring original tunes and select covers. The recording combines a pair of performances in Pacifica, California at the Chit Chat Cafe.
I have to admit that in the past I’ve not been a bog fan of his music. Maybe it’s the vibe of live music, maybe it’s the band playing to the crowd. I kinda liked this one. Vocally, BLP often takes an off kilter approach to some tunes. He delivers solid vocal performances here and his guitar is well done, too, Sioux City Slim in harp gives it his all. Mr. Peter Grenell on bass and Rockin’ Juli Moscovitz on drums provide backing and a good groove throughout. I used to write it off to a bunch of California hippies creating their niche or folk, blues, rock, and country. It’s kitschy but it’s fun!
The first three cuts are a trio of originals. “Blackeyed Susie” gets a hill country=like groove going and BLP delivers a breathy performance as he plays some cool slide and Slim blows some interesting harp. ”Hard Heart Honey Bee” rocks out a bit and there’s more guitar and harp to enjoy. “Sugar Rush” is full of double entendres and eclectically fun.
BLP twists the Fenton Robinson tune “Somebody Loan Me a Dime” from the Boz Skaggs adaptation into a sad, acoustic piece. Lonesome and low down, the vocals, guitar and harp interestingly weave their way through woe. “She’s Into Something” takes Muddy Waters and turns it into an acoustic rhumba. It’s not too shabby! Next is more Muddy with “I Feel Like Going Home,” with slide giving us an intro and sets the tone for another downtrodden cut that works.
The classic jazzy number “Fever” gets a folky take and after I scratched ny head I didn’t dislike it. It’s different for sure! Next is “I Know You Rider,” with a bouncy and a tad off key delivery that makes you listen. Then it’s an original, “You Can’t Het There from Here” where BLP delivers a slow and deliberate blues that grabs at the listener.
Tommy Johnson’s “Big Road Blues” is just an adaptation of Charlie Patton’s “Down The Dirt Road Blues” which is an adaptation of a traditional tune. BLP delivers it with passion, singing, playing and sliding well and Slim adds some nicely done harp. The original “Big Road Mama” follows in similar style, sans slide and with lots of harp. Willie Dixon’s “Little Red Rooster” gets BLP-ized with a breathy and slow down home delivery. That leads to the finale, the original “Junkyard Dog.” It’s a great tune in a traditional blues style starting with BLP singing and playing and the rest of the band adding their touches later. A funky dog howling session or two or three gets the crowd into it.
After listening I decided I’d have liked to have been at one of those sessions. The band had fun and so did the crowd. BLP can be different and eclectic, but one misses the joy he apparently exudes while playing live. If you want something different in the acoustic blues style, then this might be up your alley.
