2018-04-04
Over the course of their three-disc career the Claudettes have evolved from a piano and drum instrumental duo to a four- piece featuring piano, drums, bass, guitar and vocals from three members. While the instrumentation is still spare with a blues punk foundation the fuller sound gives the band room to explore more territory. With singer Berit Ulseth channeling Exene Cervenka of X or Natalie Merchant and the males vocalists (Johnny Iguana and Zach Verdoorn) adding lower register grit, the band powers through art-rock," November", rock, "Don’t Stay With Me" and "Naked On the Internet" and pop, "Pull Closer To Me" and "Give It All Up For Good". The title track is a rocking instrumental while "Bill Played Saxophone" recalls mid-60’s Brit-pop with its soaring harmonies and "Influential Farmers" and "Utterly Absurd" each venture into psychobilly territory with their stop/go rhythms and mash-up of vocals and instruments. No scandal here. This is great stuff. Smitty
review by Mark
ROBERT LIGHTHOUSE
Deep Down in the Mud
BIG HEAD BLUES CLUB
100 YEARS OF ROBERT JOHNSON
DOWNCHILD BLUES BAND
LIVE AT THE PALAIS ROYALE
"Big" Al Dorn & The Blues Howlers
They Call Me Big Al
DUKE ROBILLARD AND FRIENDS
BLUES BASH
THE NIGHTHAWKS
AMERICAN LANDSCAPE
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