The Lucky Losers – Arrival
MoMojo Records DCR 1509
11 songs – 47 minutes
Even though Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz describe themselves as The Lucky Losers, San Francisco-based duo have managed to strike gold whenever they’ve entered the recording studio. And they do it again with this star-studded disc. The 11 original tracks on this one blend blues with funk and soul, all of which speaks from the heart as it deals with real-life situations and packs in a little humor, too.
Cathy and Phil have been partners at the mic since teaming with undeniable chemistry since 2015. A dynamic stage presence, she’s a native of Dallas, Texas, who was inspired by Big Mama Thornton and Aretha Franklin as well as Lone Star State legends Lou Ann Barton and Anson Funderburgh. She toured with John Lee Hooker, and has worked with Tommy Castro, guitarist Steve Freund and Kid Andersen – who’s produced all six of the Losers’ albums – since she relocated to the West Coast.
Phil grew up in suburban New Jersey, where he spent most of his youth in treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, never dreaming about a career on stage. A self-described “misfit kid” – the title of one of the tunes on this CD, he eventually overcame his problems and became a world-class harmonica player, too. Together, their songwriting is so polished that they’ve garnered six Independent Music Awards.
The Losers are surrounded by an all-star cast of Bay Area talents on this one, which was produced, recorded, mixed and mastered by Kid at his award-winning Greaseland Studios: Chris Burns on keys, Simon Govan Smith on guitar, Edgar San Gabriel on bass and Jon Otis on percussion. And the special guests are truly special, too: Anderson on guitar, bass and keys, Danny Caron on guitar, Endre Tarczy on bass and Paul Revilli on drums with a horn section composed of Doug James (tenor sax), Mike Rinta (trombone) and John Halbieb (trumpet).
Music with a message, the hard-driving funk, “S-C-A-M,” opens the action with a complaint about con jobs that try to fleece your pockets of hard-earned cash through appeals on the phone, in the mail or on TV for never-ending charitable requests. Smith’s fretwork and Berkowitz’s reeds drive the annoyance home mid-tune. It yields to “Sunday Stroller,” which opens quietly but evolves quickly into an uptempo shuffle dealing with a would-be high-roller, a rule-breaker whose every scheme is doomed to fail.
Cathy changes pace with the gospel-flavored “Pull on the Rope,” a song that carries a strong political message while despite never venturing into the subject. In this case, the “rope” is change and the only way we can pull water from the well is to work together to get the job done. “Play It from the Heart” features Phil as it urges folks to take a chance on love before things get serious with Lemon’s slow blues, “I Believe (Because I Am Her),” the subject of which is child sexual abuse. The mood shifts from the open of “Sorry Brother,” an apology from one brother to another that they’re opposites whose lives will never jibe.
The funky “My Father’s Song” follows with Phil yearning to go back in time to discover what he’s missed while also stating he’s found his proper path thanks to the love of his lady. The rap- and Latin-flavored “Pig Iron Tough” describes the attitude a person must have if he’s choosing a life on the road before the horn-drenched pleaser, “Don’t Let It Slip Away,” finds Cathy wanting to take a chance on romance before “Misfit Kids” and “Ain’t the Marrying Kind” bring the disc to a close.
Rock solid from the jump, Arrival’s a winner on all counts.
