Cole & Ward – Blues and Other Truths
Rawtone / Green Bullet Records
12 tracks – 45 minutes
This is the debut album from the duo of Mark Cole & Liam Ward. UK musician Mark has been performing for over 40 years in various bands and recording with and supporting on stage many famous artists including Pinetop Perkins, Richard Thompson, Alvin Lee, Dr. Feelgood and Eddie C. Campbell among a long list of major musicians. Mark says that he is totally self-taught on his many instrumental talents including rhythm and slide guitar, harmonica, mandolin, accordion, keyboards and “loves experimenting with other instruments and found objects”. One of the many bands he plays in is the Sons of The Delta, formed with Rick Edwards, which in 2003 played for three weeks in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
Liam Ward is an award-winning harmonica player. Among his awards is the National Harmonica Legue Player of the Year and is an officially recognized Hohner artist. He is a tutor on the instrument, which includes many on-line videos. Like Mark, he likes to explore the sounds of many other instruments including the washboard, saw, jug, and jaw harp. And like Mark, he has played in numerous other roots style bands prior to the current duo joining together. And like Mark, both have traveled across Europe, America, Canada and Mexico delivering their take on Southern blues and other roots genres.
Both Mark and Liam share vocals on the album in addition to the various instruments mentioned above. They are joined on the album by Tom Selway on Saxophone, Ruben Rogers on upright bass, and George Sluppick on drums. All songs on the album were written by the duo.
Just in time for Halloween, the opening track, “Deep Blood Moon” is the tale of a werewolf as they note “To some a blessing, some a curse/ I won’t get better, but I might get worse/ It’s not safe to hang around / when a full moon shines in prairie town”. “My Jolie Fille” translates to my beautiful girl as they dip into Creole country. “Midnight Motorway Blues” is a complaint about the inconvenience of nighttime road closures, particularly after a long night of playing music and citing “a musician’s life ain’t so good, it is hard to get good sleep and eat good food but the worst thing about it is something we cannot choose is those midnight motorway blues”.
“The More You Drink…” has a jug band feel as they declare “it will make you good, before it makes you bad. Make you happy before it makes you sad.” and offers a humorous take on imbibing and perhaps offering a cautionary tale. A protest against politicians who are taking “Food Off My Table” follows as they declare they are “lining their pockets just because they are able”. “Be Still My Soul” is a slow gospel blues with St. Peter telling him “It is not your time. There is a plan for you.”
A flamenco touch and some oddly haunting and compelling music delivers a story of his “Weird Dream”. “Who What Where When Why” gets things jumping as he asks her all the questions around ” Why are you leaving me?” “Itinerant Waltz” is another tale of a musician’s life while he ponders “all that I want is to be home with you”.
He declares that “Mr. Big Shot” “is really getting on my nerves” and “how can anyone believe all your lies” in another rocker. “Darling, Please” is a slow stroll and a throwback to 50’s soul as he begs her “to please show me the heat in your heart.” The album concludes with “Honey’s Coming Home” …to me. Been too long since she went away, missing her more with each passing day.”
The duo blends their gentle music with interesting story telling in their lyrics. Mark’s vocals are smooth and clear with Liam’s ever- present harmonica is featured, but in a captivating manner, that enhances every song. As indicated by the album’s title, the album does cross into blues but diversifies into many other styles of music even to the experimentation evident in the “Weird Dreams”. They are obviously enjoying their time together and are allowing us to come along for the ride.
