RB Stone – Some Call It Freedom
Middle Mountain Music
11 tracks
RB Stone is a blues man with a rocking, country, and hill country tinge to his blues. He and his band here (Terence Houston on drums, Larry Van Loon on the keys, and Randy Coleman and Josh Fairman sharing the bass work) do a great job giving us a nice CD of all original cuts, RB plays the guitars, sings and adds the harp to the mix.
“Hill Country Stomp” is an RL Burnside sort of tune that starts things off with that wonderful rhtymic and hypnotizing hill country beat. The title track follows, comparing freedom to the blues. Stone does some nice slide work here. “35 Miles to Mobile” is a big, honky-tonk, and rocking song. Stone chants out the lyrics as the piano and guitar blaze. “Mid Your Business” is a song about a relationship with some separation needed. Guitar and harmonica solos add well to the cut overall as this mid-tempo rocking country blues progresses. Full out rocking blues follows in “YoYo Lover” (credited earlier on the packaging). The backline carry the big beat and Stone is effective on vocals and guitar. “Another Thief” starts out with and features what I’d call a native American sound beat within this blues rocker.
“Nickajack” returns to the hills and the acoustic guitar sells this one nicely. A shorter instrumental, we get the throbbing hill country beat with some well done picking by Stone. Another short, driving rocker follows with a ZZ Top sort of beat and sound. “You Don’t Want Me” is a one way love affair with Stone’s guitar on top of the beat driving this home. “Won’t Stop Rockin’” is another big country blues rocker that Stone seems so comfy with. The honky tonk piano and organ add some sweet layers to the song as Stone just rocks out for us.
The final two cuts feature guest guitar players. “Weapons of Mass Persuasion” has Tim “Too Slim” Langford doing some very mean slide guitar while Austin Young takes the guitar lead on “Standin’ On Top of the World” as Stone blows some dirty harp. He’s not sitting on top of the world, he’s standin’ on it, a nice rocking blues tune to close the set.
Stone has done a great job here. Nice original songs, a good variety and well done vocals and musicianship all around. Kudos on delivering a really great album!
