THE RUSTY WRIGHT BAND

Live Fire

2012-01-27

Nick's Picks: 01 World Upside Down; 03 Groove Medley/Ain't From Mississippi; 06 Someday After Awhile; 07 Lost Souls

FCC ALERT: 02 "Alarm Clock Blues”

Review by Steven "Nick" Nickelson of The Rusty Wright Band Live Fire :

Contemporary blues is proving to be a whole different wild ride and this series of live performances leaves no doubt The Rusty Wright Band (or RWB as Rusty affectionately introduces himself and his band) has hung in there for their 8 seconds. Well done. Sticking to my avowed love of the blues, I would highly recommend this live cd. As opposed to most other genres (excepting Celtic, bluegrass/crabgrass and virtuoso artists) the blues are at their best when seen live. Recorded live blues are not the same, but they are (for the most part) an acceptable substitute, and this band comes as close as can be without the listener actually “being there”. The arrangements and musical writing are laudably matched (as well as the blues can be matched, anyway) with the lyrics – and some of the guitar solos are some of the best I have heard from a regional band, Oh, and did I mention that this is a Michigan-based band? Yep, right out of the Flint area. This band is so talented that they have no trouble playing through any blues tempo, from lonesome Mississippi Delta (“Messin' Round”, “Someday After Awhile”, “Lost Souls”) to 'so tight they squeak when they walk' Chicago Blues (“World Upside Down”, Pretty Little Lies”) to blues-influenced heavy duty Rock & Roll (“Day of the Eagle”) to a whimsical Jump Blues (“Whole Lot of Rosie”) all the way to Texas Blues (“Alarm Clock Blues”) one of the best songs of the whole collection; it's unfortunate that one little word prevents this hard-charging smokin' song from getting any airplay. And that's my two nickels' worth........................Nick

ARTIST BIO:

This is a Michigan-based band from the Flint area.

The Musicians:

・ Rusty Wright – songwriter, vocals, slide guitar

・ Laurie LaCross Wright – rhythm guitar, vocals, harmony vocals

・ David Brahce – keyboards, Hammond B3

・ Andrew Barancik – bass

・ Peter Haist – drums, harmony vocals

・ Eddie Lusker – saxophone

The Songs:

1. World Upside Down

2. Alarm Clock Blues

3. Groove Medley_Ain't From Mississippi

5. Man On Fire

6. Someday After Awhile

7. Lost Souls

8. Pretty Little Lies

9. Day Of The Eagle

10. Whole Lotta Rosie

Quick Links:

More reviews tagged #Blues

  • reviewed 08/2017

    THE NIGHTHAWKS
    ALL YOU GOTTA DO

  • reviewed 11/2016

    KENNY "BLUES BOSS" WAYNE
    JUMPIN & BOPPIN'

  • reviewed 08/2017

    RICK ESTRIN & THE NIGHTCATS
    GROOVIN' IN GREASELAND

  • reviewed 11/2020

    BETTE SMITH
    THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE BETTE

  • reviewed 07/2011

    LAURIE MORVAN BAND
    BREATHE DEEP

  • reviewed 12/2008

    RORY BLOCK
    BLUES WALKING LIKE A MAN- A TRIBUTE TO SON HOUSE

Compiled by the WYCE Journalism Club

The opinions expressed in these reviews are those of the individual volunteers that submitted the article and do not necessarily reflect the views of WYCE or GRCMC; nor its staff, donors, or affiliates.