Renovation Blues Band – Nail It!’
RBB Records
16 songs – 55 minutes
The Renovation Blues Band hails from Vancouver Island, BC, Canada, and have been together for over 18 years, a fact reflected in the easy camaraderie of the musicianship on this delightful release. They play traditional jump blues with a modern edge but with an attitude deeply rooted in the 1950s and 1960s. Recorded at Lo-Speed Studio with vintage instruments and amplification, their third album, Nail It!, is a fun-filled delight that bears repeated listening.
The band is composed of Paul Gorosh on drums and vocals, Sean Kilback on guitars and vocals and Howard Mallett on bass and vocals. They are joined by guests Darcy Phillips (piano and/or organ), Gene Hardy (tenor and baritone sax) and Morgan Rennef Onda (tenor sax) on various tracks.
Nail It! features 16 cooking numbers, six of which are instrumentals written by Kilback. The remainder of the album features a selection of classic West Coast numbers and a few lesser-known gems, opening with Benny Peters’ “Back From San Antone”, a rollicking number with a shouted chorus, which leads nicely into Bo Diddley’s “I Can Tell”, which nods to Kim Wilson’s excellent cover from a few years back. Kilback and Phillips trade neat guitar and organ solos.
While the likes of “I Can Tell” and Eddie Cleanhead Vinson’s all-time classic “Lonesome Train” are staples of many West Coast blues bands, Kilback’s own “Get Back On That Horse”, the Insomniacs’ “Stick Around” and Jeff Turmes’ “She’s A Little Bit Much” offer a fresh and modern perspective whilst still sitting comfortably in the overall retro ambiance of the album. On other tracks, such as “Lonesome”, the band takes a little of Memphis Slim’s original, throw in a dash of the Hollywood Fats Band’s killer interpretation, and add their own spice to the stew. They even throw in a sublime version of Bruce Cockburn’s slow blues “Mama Just Wants To Barrelhouse All Night Long”.
The six instrumentals included in the bonus EP capture a variety of moods, all swinging, from the jazzy “Cut ‘n’ Run”, the wild “Top Gear” and the funky “Whippersnapper”. The galloping “Thumbs-Up Jump” features fellow Vancouver musicians Mike Mallon on harp, Annie Mallon on guitar and Dan Dube on piano.
Nail It! is a glorious reminder of the reckless joy of well-played jump blues. The musicianship is top class across the board, but there is a casual confidence that enhances the performances. Produced by Gorosh, Kilback and Mallet, Kilback also recorded, mixed and mastered the recording and the entire band deserves credit for capturing a very live, exuberant energy. This is a cracking release and well worth investigating.
