| This Week's Highlights |
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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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Power Blues-Rock from Seattle. New Stevie Ray Vaughan? Goatee-bearded Dudley Taft, 44, has learnt his trade with great observation and dedication during spells with Sweet Water and Second Coming, and it’s paid off handsomely. Left For Dead is not only a showboating exercise it is jaw-droppingly awesome, particularly if like your licks with touch and finesse. In my opinion he has the touch of say Paul Kossoff / Jimmy Page and the blues sensibilities of Stevie Ray Vaughan, so that, by definition, places him in great company. Technically, Taft is nigh on perfect. Stylistically he is mightily impressive. At no stage do get the feeling that his sojourns are gratuitous, because everything you’d expect is in the right place, and time. Taft writes great originals such as thrusting opener Ain’t No Game which sets the tone perfectly. Skip one, and we get to Broken Down a thumping rocker with splashes of nifty brass dressing and a guitar solo that’s on fire. On Long Way Down... he opts for a more bluesy effect with sharp wiry licks, and should he choose a single to promote the album, then this is it. For Blue Lady, he’s gone for a lazy template on this mid-paced ballad with very subtle solos a la Gary Moore.
In addition, he has masterfully chosen some excellent cover versions to add to his arsenal of tricks, particularly Charlie Patton’s When Your Way Gets Dark, treating it with great sensitivity and respect, dropping in exquisite bottleneck and acoustic flourishes. Billy Miles’ Have You Ever Loved A Woman, (a slow ballad spanning over 7 minutes,) showcases his finely-honed skills, and when the laidback licks kick in, they are simply breathtaking, with his rustic voice only adding to the thrill of the listening experience. Ex-Fleetwood Mac’s Peter Green’s Drifting is truly dusted down and given a new lease of life, but once again, the original’s sensibilities are kept intact with some dazzling solos, par excellence, with blues bassist Willie Dixon’s Seventh Son brought bang up-to-date (and virtually unrecognizable) in a rock format, minus the original’s honky -tonk piano tinkling and rhythm and blues shuffle. Again Dixon’s Back Door Man is more aggressive, but sadly missing the original’s harmonica breaks, though it remains a blistering cover, nevertheless. The verdict – Stunning ! RADIO: Hear Back Door Man on THE PLUG on Monday 4 October between 2-4PM (UK time) at CalonFM.com
Weblink: dudleytaft.com / myspace.com/dudleytaft
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
