The Fleurieu Bluesbreakers – The Devil Lives Down My Street | Album Review

The Fleurieu Bluesbreakers – The Devil Lives Down My Street

www.indianaphoenix.net

11 Tracks / 41 minutes

The Fleurieu Bluesbreakers debut album The Devil Lives Down My Street is a collection of eleven original songs written by the band members.  The album covers a wide range styles, from swing blues, shuffle to R&B.  This is Brian Cain’s latest effort under the Indiana Phoenix label.  The band is from the Fleurieu Peninsula region of South Australia and has been together for a little over a year.  They were formed when Brian returned to the region and reconnected with fellow musicians from the area.  The band members are Brian Cain – lead vocals and harp; Ross Brennan – guitar and vocals; Peter Nixon – bass and vocals; Jim Judd – drums.

The highlight the band is Brian Cain.  Brian is one of Australia’s best blues harp players.  In 2010 he was a Tamworth Gold Harmonica winner and East Coast Blues Harp Showdown winner.  His harp playing and well-worn, raspy vocals are featured throughout the album.  The other members of the band form a nice tight rhythm group, keeping the groove for each song.

A couple of the best tracks on the album are “My Phone,” a swinging number about our love/hate relationship with the cell phone.  It features a very nice guitar solo from Ross.  Brian’s harp also shines.  “Earl,” the only instrumental on the album is a jazzy tune that lets the band members cut loose.  The rhythm section of Peter Nixon (bass) and Jim Judd (drums) drive a steady beat and there is more fine harp and guitar work throughout.  “Goodtime Boogie,” a song about drinking and driving, is appropriately named.  The band sure does boogie down.  It makes you want to get up and move your feet.

Other standout tracks include the title track, a song about domestic violence, “The Devil Lives Down My Street.”  “Slow Blues For Sher,” a song any dog owner can relate to, is about the loss of Brian’s first dog.  “Myponga 71” is a fun up-beat tune about Brian’s experience at the Myponga Rock Concert in 1971.  Two blues rockers are also included, “Doctor Blues” and “Man Was I Wrong.”

One downside is the album arrived without liner notes.  That made it difficult to credit song writers.

The Devil Lives Down My Street is a very solid collection of original songs offering a very nice contemporary take on traditional blues.  It will be interesting to what their next effort sounds like.

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