Donna Herula – Cold Feet
Self-Released
10 Tracks – 40 minutes
Donna Herula was born on the northwest side of Chicago in the Portage Park neighborhood. She began playing the piano at age 5 and started writing her own songs. At age 10, she took up the guitar and played in all-girls band, No Men Momentum in high school. She studied voice and jazz and classical guitar in college. Her 2021 album, Bang at The Door, hit No. 1 on the Acoustic Blues Album charts, was named the Best Acoustic Blues Album at the 2022 Independent Music Awards where she was also named the Best Traditional Blues Artist. The title song was also selected as the Best AAA/Alternative Song in the 2022 International Acoustic Music Awards. It is notable that in 2011, she released “The Moon Is Rising: Songs of Robert Nighthawk” establishing her blues roots.
Donna is equally adept with the slide guitar, playing both that instrument and the acoustic guitar across this album, her fourth release, and does all lead vocals. Her band includes Tony Wittrock on acoustic and electric guitars, Mark Edelstein on upright and electric bass, and Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith on drums. Special guests scattered throughout the songs include producer Jon Shain on acoustic and electric guitar, Alton Smith on organ and Wurlitzer, Anne Harris on Violin, John Jochem on harmonica, Steve Eisen on sax, Rick Barnes on percussion, and backing vocals by Candy Flora, Kary Ream, and Rebecca Toon.
She opens the album with an instrumental “On My Way Home” featuring her National Tricone slide guitar, a clear demonstration of her mastery of the instrument. As she faces her impending wedding ceremony, in a rocking number again featuring her slide she determines she has “Cold Feet” telling “Last night he had to get something off his chest. Today I want to call it off, take off this wedding dress.” He said that we were meant to be together. Now I’m thinking I could do a whole lot better.” and concludes with an announcement “And I’m keeping the ring”. “Honey Darlin’ Baby Please” is a soulful cry with a slight country tinge as she begs him “Pick up your phone and talk to me. I know that I was wrong.”. “Honey, please don’t say goodbye”.
She plays both her resonator and slide guitar on a cover of Skip James’ 1931 song” Cypress Grove Blues”. The song is very moody and haunting as she cites “I would rather be dead and six feet in my grave than to be up here, honey, and treated this way”. “The Good Book declare you got to reap what you sow”. She is fed up with her “Backseat Driver”, a humorous tale of a war of words leading to her saying “If you don’t shut your mouth we’re gonna get in a fight.” and ultimately declares “I’m pulling over now. I’ll be a back seat driver for you.” John’s harmonica punches up the chaos of a road trip. ” She questions “What You gonna Do” confronting him about an affair and telling him “I’m not gonna tell your momma. I am not going to tell your son. I’m gonna let you tell ’em about the damage you’ve done.” and “You’ll have to decide will it be me – will it be her”.
On “Wish I could See You Again”, she moves to her acoustic guitar with Jon Shain playing an acoustic slide guitar in a pure guitar duet. A lament of a loss cites “Memories are on display. Graduation, wedding day. I’m packing all of them away. Wish I could see you again.” She promises that “That Things Can Change” with John’s harmonica giving an emphasis as she sings, “You feel like giving up. Nobody’s on your side. Water’s rushing in but can you turn, turn the tide?” Donna says that after playing at a Canadian folk festival, she was inspired to write the John Prine style of storytelling song, “Float to Heaven”. Anne Harris adds violin to Donna’s acoustic guitar in a tale of a man who is haunted by the death of a friend as a teenager and who blames himself for the death resulting in alcoholism and unable to keep a job. “He’s been fighting the devil in his head every day ever since the river stole Jimmy away.” “So tomorrow he’s gonna take his boat down to the river and float to heaven”. “He said “In heaven the sun will shine on my face. The angels will forgive all my mistakes”. The album concludes with a cover of Elmore James’ “Dust My Broom” with some dynamic slide work.
Donna proves herself a powerful, soulful vocalist establishing a wide range across multiple genres crossing blues, rock, and folk. Her guitar is equally adept at reaching across the varying songs she provides in this excellent album. While the greater focus on this album is her slide guitar, she delivers an album equally compelling for awards as her 2021 album.
