Campbell & Johnston – Paisley Hearts
Self-Release – 2024
www.campbellandjohnstonmusic.com
8 tracks; 31 minutes
Canadians Christine Campbell and Blake Johnston have previously released an EP but this is a debut album (albeit quite a short one by modern standards). They are both credited with vocals, guitar and bass and are supported by drummer Serkan Suer and no fewer than four different keyboard players, Leith Flemming-Smith, Peter Davison, Jason Keddy and Sam Fraser; sax player Jeff Mosher and trumpeter Jody Lyne strengthen a few tracks. All the songs are original compositions by Christine and Blake, with assistance on one by Erin Costello.
“Find Your Way” is terrific, racing along on a wave of keys with great stabs of horns, the two vocalists giving us a soul tune that harks back to the heady days of Stax and Motown. The drums lead throughout and a fine guitar solo tops things off, a great start to the record. “Righteous” has more of a swampy feel as Blake takes the lead vocal, supported by Christine, lots of tinkling keys here, the lyrics pointing criticism at those who feel themselves superior to the rest of us. Again, this is a big production number that builds in intensity as the horns join in, but the next tune is more stripped back and has a clear blues DNA as Blake sings “Regrets, I’ve Had A Few”, a title that may evoke memories of Frank Sinatra to older readers, though the soaring slide solo tells us we are well away from the music of Ol’ Blue Eyes! An intriguing title, “Hash & Black Coffee” is just two and a half minutes of full-on rock and roll with great piano and guitar.
It appears that the album is aimed at the vinyl audience as tracks 1-4 are labelled ‘Side A’ and 5-8 ‘Side B’. Acoustic guitar and dobro underpin Christine’s quiet but appealing vocal as she declares that “Nothing’s Forever (Even Goodbye)”: “I still see you in doorways, hear you call my name, at times dreams feel more real than the day, but I won’t let it break me, when I wanted it that way; sometimes all that you’ve got is your pain.” The couple offer “High Praise” to “the old lo-fi days” on a percussion-heavy number complete with a snaking guitar solo. The album concludes with a pounding rocker,“Don’t Get Down (On A Good Thing)” and a big ballad led by Christine entitled “Heart Of Stone” which has good guitar work and an anthemic chorus.
Both vocalists have strong voices that do justice to the songs. As on another Canadian album I recently reviewed, there is not a lot of actual blues here, but it is a listenable record that deserves to do well for the duo.
