FBnCC

Al Smyth: Comfort Me (Al Smyth, 2007).

Al Smyth (guitar, dobro, vocals); Sherri Williams (vocals); Joe Miller (drums, snare drum); Steve Perakis/Bruce Burton/Todd Silas (bass); Linda Dachtyl (keyboards); Max Marshall (sax, flute); Adam Sheets (harmonica); Cary Dachtyl (percussion); Ann Fisher (fife); Tony Antonelli (snare drum); Julie Carr Smyth & Brian Lucey (backup vocals).

Comfort Me, the sophomore release from Columbus, Ohio based, guitar slinger Al Smyth is here, and what a scorcher it is. Purists beware! This isn't your daddy's blues, but that's a good thing, as this is one of the coolest and most enjoyable discs that I've heard in ages. Comfort Me is packed full of slashing slide guitar, rock, soul, '70s funk, Americana, and '60s British Blues all meshed together to create a fascinating musical blend that satisfies from the very first note, to the fading sounds of the fife & snare drum that close this thoroughly engaging, well-written, and well-produced set.

The shuffling, stripped-down, title track opens things up with a stop-start blues rhythm and excellent horn work that leads into "KEEF," an urgent blues rocker and Keith Richards lovefest that sounds very much like prime Stones. "Murder of Crow" is a slow soul blues number that introduces the vocals of Sherri Williams, whose performance throughout this great set is a genuine lesson in passion and pizzazz, while "Bad Luck (That's What I'm Talking About)," is a forceful romp that finds Smyth with just his Dobro on a scorching Delta blues based number. The powerful "Mean Ol' Fireman" is a full-throttle rocker, a-la-The Faces/Black Crowes, with one hot slide lick after another driving the song along. Smyth and company step it up on the stunning "Hard Times," a delightfully funky workout that finds the guitarist and his band really laying into the groove on one of the hottest numbers here, while "Tell a Vision," with its flute and exotic percussion, brings a more rootsy and even jazzy feel to Smyth's table.

Other highlights include Sherri Williams' return for the full-blown Texas roadhouse blues of "Thorn in my Side," while "Julie's Song," with it's intense slide attack, and "Miss Vera," a laid-back jazzy interlude with Smyth's dead-on Dr. John vocal style, displays his incredible versatility and instrumental prowess. The muscular "Drinkin Man Blues," is a remarkably stripped-down affair that showcases some of Smyth's finest slide work of the album, while the rocking Hill Country stomper, "White Lightning," with Williams on vocals, closes the set, complete with fife and snare drums in tow. It's one of the most memorable performances here, with everyone in fine form, closing out a remarkably satisfying album that leaves you wanting more.

All in all, Comfort Me is a utterly superb release that displays the rugged blues rock that is indicative of Smyth's approach, featuring strong songwriting and economical playing that's far more mature and eclectic than most blues-rock bands' best work. Backed by some of the Heartland's finest musicians, Smyth is a truly gifted guitarist who has put together one killer, no filler album of explosive blues-based rock that's one of the best independent releases to come my way so far this year.

Copyright © 2007 Robert D. Lehrian/Supporting the Blues. All rights reserved. - Robert D. Lehrian, Supporting The Blues

"So I have not mentioned the 2nd stage yet. It is nestled in the hallway and is for local blues talent. I’m walking by this stage and all of a sudden I hear the guitar strands of Frank Zappa’s “Zoot Allures”. I stop in my tracks and see that Columbus, Ohio’s own Al Smyth is getting it done in fine fashion. I stick around for the remaining half hour of his set and was completely impressed. Afterwards, the following conversation occurred:

Me (With Dark Horse in Hand): If I had a medal, I would give it to you.
Al Smyth: Why?
Me: Because you don’t get a lot of Frank Zappa references these days.
Al Smyth: Thanks for that, we like to color outside the lines.

His last statement pretty much sums it up. If you like eclectic, check him out. I picked up Smyth’s Comfort Me CD and I really like it. That’s a write-up for another time."
- Oracles Music Network

http://www.fbncc.com/images/image002.jpg - Other Paper

Various top of the charts...

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Al Smyth's Comfort Me
REAL BLUES Magazine's TOP 100 blues recordings of 2007
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WNCD 93.3FM The Wolf - BEST BLUES OF 2007

KOKO TAYLOR
KENNY WAYNE SHEPHERD with BRYAN LEE
ALVIN LEE
JASON RICCI BAND
ANA POPOVIC
ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND with SOUTHSIDE JOHNNY
COREY STEVENS
TOMMY CASTRO
JOE BONAMASSA
DUKE ROBILLARD
AL SMYTH <---- !!!!
WILLIE PHOENIX
THE WHITE STRIPES
MICK JAGGER
ELAM McKNIGHT
SUE FOLEY/DEBORAH COLEMAN/ROXANNE POTVIN
BUCK69
OMAR KENT DYKES & JIMMIE VAUGHAN
BOBBY RUSH
ROD PIAZZA & THE MIGHTY FLYERS
VAN MORRISON & BOBBY "BLUE" BLAND"
COLIN DUSSAULT (HOMETOWN ARTIST)
GARY MOORE
JOHN HAMMOND
==========
Top 25 CDs for January 2008
1 RONNIE EARL - HOPE RADIO ----- Stony Plain

2 ANA POPOVICH - STILL MAKING HISTORY ----- Eclectogroove

3 L.A. BLUES ALLIANCE - WHAT A LIFE ----- Fontana
4 DIANA BRAITHWAITE & CHRIS WHITELEY - MORNING SUN -----Electro-Fi

5 STEVIE RAY VAUGHAN - SOLOS, SESSIONS & ENCORES --- Epic/Legacy

6 JASON RICCI & NEW BLOOD - ROCKET NUMBER 9 --- Eclecto Groove
7 ROOMFUL OF BLUES RAISIN' A RUCKUS ALLIGATOR

8 PHANTOM BLUES BAND - FOOTPRINTS ----- Delta Groove
9 L.Z. LOVE & LIGHTNIN' RED - GUT BUCKET BLUES ---- private

10 CHARLIE MORRIS BAND - WHAT A SCENE! ----- Blues Pages
11 ALVIN LEE - SAGUITAR ----- Rainman

12 DEBBIE DAVIES - BLUES BLAST - Telarc

13 JOAN ARMATRADING - INTO THE BLUES ----- 429

14 LURRIE BELL - LET'S TALK ABOUT LOVE ----- Aria B.G.
15 CHRIS DUARTE GROUP - BLUE VELOCITY --- Blues Bureau

16 ROY ROGERS - THE BEST OF 2 ----- Chops Not Chaps

17 STAN HEDGES - TWO MULE PARADE ----- Stan The Man

18 LITTLE ARTHUR DUNCAN - LIVE AT ROSA'S --- Delmark

19 HOWARD GLAZER & EL 34'S - LIQUOR STORE LEGEND -- Random Chance

20 RUTHIE FOSTER - THE PHENOMENAL RUTHIE FOSTER ---- Blue Corn

21 AL SMYTH - COMFORT ME ----- FBNCC

22 JOHN NEMETH - MAGIC TOUCH ---- Blind Pig

23 GARY MOORE - CLOSE AS YOU GET ----- Eagle

24 NICK GORDON - CHRONIC BLUES PARTY ---- Swing Suit

25 GERRY HUNDT - SINCE WAY BACK ----- Blue Bella

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contact: norman@midnightflyerblues.com

- various