Paul The Resonator – Unchained
Self-Release – 2026
12 tracks; 46 minutes
Paul The Resonator is the stage name of Paul Grussendorf from West Virginia where he performs with his band SmorgasBoys. Their speciality is ragtime blues and gospel and on this disc, half live, half studio, Paul alternates covers with his own compositions. The SmogasBoys are Paul on vocals, banjo, guitar and resonator, Ryan Guerrero on guitar and mandolin, Mike Trimmer on guitar and banjo, Scott Schmied on washtub bass, Robbie Carruthers on fiddle and Vince ‘Fireball’ Farabaugh on harmonica.
A long list of guests also contribute, mainly to the studio tracks: Earl Hairston sings lead on three tracks, Natalia Eyestone and Baroe take the vocal on one each, Matt Robinson adds mandolin to one, Butch Sanders percussion to one, Jesse Schultzaberger drums to four, Don Oehser lead guitar to three, Sam Janotta organ to two, Bill Unger bass to three, Jeff Kautman guitar to one, Lavinia Redd fiddle to two and B/V’s to five, Lisa Laffeerty B/V’s to two and Jona Masiya and Tracy Prior Setters play African drums on one cut. Paul produced the album with Bill Unger who also engineered, mixed and mastered the material.
Although the album alternates covers and traditional songs with Paul’s originals this review will look at the live tracks separately from the studio recordings. First thing to note is that all the live tracks are covers, the studio cuts the originals. Paul introduces the Rev Gary Davis’ gospel tune “Sit On The Banks Of The River”, banjo and fiddle leading the way and the harp taking the main solo. Next up is Mississippi John Hurt’s “Louis Collins”, relating the tale of a man who was killed in a card game, the fiddle giving the song an appropriately mournful feel.
“One Kind Favor” is given a jaunty reading. Another traditional song, best known from Blind Lemon Jefferson’s version but covered by a host of acts since, Paul’s band do a good job on the song and Lavinia’s support vocals work well. Paul introduces the traditional “Darling Corey” as “a mountain song about a girl who had her own still, she was handy with a gun and she could play the banjo – what more could a man ask for”! It’s a less well known song but another tragic tale, of course! Blind Boy Fuller’s “She’s Got Something There” is more light hearted, the band joining in enthusiastically on the chorus and the live show ends with Leadbelly’s tale of misfortune “On A Monday”.
Inevitably with the guests and wider instrumentation, the studio tracks are less sparse. Paul shows himself to be an adept writer whilst keeping the music rooted in the traditions of pre-war blues and gospel. “Union Station” sticks close to the band’s live style with a ragtime rhythm and Natalia Eyestone singing. Earl Hairston sings another ragtime style tune “Charles Town Races Boogie”, a sparse arrangement of a guy whose luck is out at the track, mandolin, resonator and harp being the main instruments on show here. The rolling rhythms of “Sick And Tired” offer good support to female singer Baroe though the credits for the album seem incorrect as you can hear plenty of uncredited piano. Earl returns on a semi-spoken “Quality Of Mercy” with organ and electric guitar featured very tastefully and references to “Jesus on the mainline” before Paul takes over for the uptempo Rn’B number “Firehouse”, more pleasant guitar from Don Oehser. The final studio track is “Kossola Is My Name” in which Earl narrates the tale of a black slave taken from Dahomey to Alabama, freed by the Civil War yet unable to return to Africa because he spent his lifetime in poverty. It’s a powerful statement to close the album, the African drums very effective and the sparse harp and banjo seem to fit perfectly as ethereal backing voices emerge mid-tune.
Paul The Resonator and SmorgasBoys honour pre-war blues, ragtime and gospel, both on traditional tunes and on Paul’s originals, making for an interesting album that is very different to much of what is issued today.
