Marcela De Campos – Dimmed Lights
Independent
8 Tracks – 41 minutes
Brazilian born blues rock guitarist Marcela de Campos got her start with a leaning to the rock sounds of Aerosmith, Black Crowes and Led Zeppelin. She recognized the sound of the music was blues related. Around 2018, she started digging into more blues- oriented guitarists such as Albert King, B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Joe Bonamassa, Eric Gales and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Now settled into the U.S. in New York, she made friends with Melissa Raye at the Bitter End. Melissa delivered strong, bluesy oriented vocals. This put Marcela on the path to form a band with her on guitar and Melissa handling all vocals. For the album, she added Dave Previ on drum, Trevor Brown on bass, and Jason Laney on keyboards. Marcela has toured Brazil, Mexico and across the US.
The album consists of six cover songs and two originals. She opens the album with her rendition of Willie Dixon’s “Spoonful”. Melissa’s vocals with Jason’s keyboards and Dave’s drums open the song before Marcela lets loose on her guitar. The song is certainly well known by everyone familiar with the blues, but Marcela creates her own version with her dominating guitar. Next up is Little Walter’s “Blues with a Feeling”. Marcela’s guitar again rocks out with Marcela delivering smooth vocals. “Nobody Knows You When You’re Down and Out”, written by Jimmie Cox has been recorded by many performers from Louis Jordan to Eric Clapton. Marcela’s guitar really rings out with Jason’s organ underscoring Melissa’s strong vocal performance.
The first original is the title song, “Dimmed Lights”, which Marcela wrote to tell her own story through the ups and downs she has experienced. She left to start a new life, first in L.A. where she “met her man”. After an excellent guitar interlude, she next says she moved to New York City where it “changed my life”. A cover of Junior Wells’ “Little by Little” follows and again offers an opportunity for Marcela to launch a stinging guitar solo. The second original, “Walkin'”, is an instrumental mixing Marcela’s guitar with Jason’s organ.
B.B. King’s “It’s My Own Fault” lets Marcela play a slower blues run, but with more notes than B.B. King’s versions – not a complaint but just an observation of the differences. Melissa again provides a soulful vocal. The album concludes with Jimi Hendrix’s “Hear My Train Coming”.
Marcela proves herself an accomplished guitar player and Melissa certainly has the blues chops with a strong, soulful sound sometimes moving into a light growl. A comparison can be made to the blues rock of Kenny Wayne Shepherd and his partner, Noah Hunt, who provides many of the vocals for that pair. Marcela and Melissa certainly make for a powerful duo well worth a listen and to watch for their future direction.
