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BUY THE CD
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The latest arrival in the recent New British Invasion hails from the UK’s Isle of Man. With all the great musicians heading over the pond (like Lily Allen, Amy Winehouse, and James Morrison, just to name a few), it’s hard to choose the most talented among them—but Back Door Slam, a three-piece act led by vocalist and songwriter Davy Knowles, is way up there.
Just like Amy Winehouse took Motown and gave it her own edge, Back Door Slam takes traditional blues and gives it a new edge. If you take the blues and add a little cayenne pepper, the result is Back Door Slam—because their sound is a lot like blues, only it’s kicked up a notch. It’s a little bit Stevie Ray Vaughn with a bit of Hendrix mixed in. And the result will blow you away.
As soon as you hear the first few bass notes of “Come Home,” you’ll know that you’re in for something amazing. The music is solid, and Knowles’s vocals are commanding, and the songs are so memorable that it’s nearly impossible to listen without cranking up the volume and singing along.
Or maybe that’s just me.
But Back Door Slam has more to offer than just one great single. The album continues with “Heavy On My Mind” and “Outside Woman Blues,” both of which are every bit as powerful (and as memorable) as the first track.
My only complaint with Roll Away is that it feels like two rather different albums. Mind you, they’re two very good albums—but the two sounds are often so different that it may cause you to check the CD player to make sure you’re still listening to the same CD. In the beginning (and a few other tracks along the way as well), it’s that heavy, driving blues that I absolutely love. But some of the later tracks (including the title track) have more of a stripped-down feel—they’re less blues and more blue grass. Less Hendrix and more Springsteen—a little classic rock mixed with a bit of country. And while, musically, those songs are every bit as good as the others, they’re just not as distinctive. They don’t have the same edge. So the beginning of the album—and the final bonus track, “Real Man”—is more memorable than the stuff in the middle. But, if you take both halves and put them together, Roll Away is, nevertheless, a brilliant debut. If you’re a blues fan, don’t even think about missing this one.
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