Scott Holt

Reprinted from Elmore Magazine Mar/Apr 2006
REVELATOR
By Doug Richardson

On the first trip through any new blues album, particularly by an artist I’m hearing for the first time, I love to discover what surfaces first: a great voice, original and meaningful lyrics, or mastery of an instrument. I like to skip the liner notes, bypass the biography and just soak up what’s coming out of the speakers. In Revelator, it was the guitar that got me first; was that Clapton, Jeff Beck and Hendrix that Scott Holt was channeling? And damned well at that!
Then the printed matter cleared it all up. Buddy Guy, who fed the heads and fingers of a dozen “A” list guitarists, was Holt’s guru, too, and the licks that bubble as well as explode to the surface in Revelator’s 15 cuts are both equally reminiscent of chops you’ve known for 30 years as well as original, fresh and - dare it be said? – Amazing. “Price I Pay” gathers the old and serves it new. “Sunday”, the opener that’s reprised near the end of the CD, conjures a little gospel/revival feel, particularly with the help of backup singers Melinda Doolittle and Janet Kenyon (wife of bass man/keyboards/co-writer Keith). They also bring depth to “’Bout To Make Me Leave Home” and “I Know A Little”. “Another Rainy Day” and “Shorty” begin with unadorned straight acoustic testimony and become much richer with the additional voices and Greg Shumake’s piano.
Holt’s virtuosity doesn’t stop with his skills on the guitar. The end of a romance is arguably the single most used and abused theme in blues music, and a new take on it is as rare as a Picasso in a trailer park. “Civil War” is a lyrical standout and verifies Holt’s solid credentials as a songwriter, employing new metaphor just when you thought the well was dry.
Mr. Holt, if you are reading this, I have one serious criticism and emphatic suggestion: lose the drum machine. If the essence of all great blues music is the heart and soul the musicians bring to a song, there’s nothing that can kill it faster than a tinny, techno pop drum line generated by computer chips instead of a flesh and blood stickman who can either lead or follow you around all the corners. Bring back the hot hands of your earlier albums and concerts and leave the electronics to Kylie Minouge.
If Revelator is your first Scott Holt experience, as it was for me, you’ll be faced with the same task I’ve given myself; go find his first four CDs and trace his evolution from rock, through blues, to the unique fusion that Revelator brings to the table.
- Elmore Magazine

Throughout the 1990s, Scott Holt,
originally from Lawrenceburg, TN, was the
Buddy Guy Band’s secret weapon. At 19,
Holt began playing guitar upon hearing Jimi
Hendrix for the first time. After taking
lessons for a year and regularly practicing
for eight hours daily, Scott’s father took him
to see Buddy Guy. After meeting backstage,
a friendship formed that would last a lifetime,
resulting in Scott joining Buddy’s band at the
tender age of 23. At the end of 1999, Holt
quit Buddy’s band to pursue a solo career.
On Angels In Exile (Blue Storm Music),
Scott severs the ties to his blues musical
past, only glancing back occasionally
throughout the disc’s 12 tracks that last 55
minutes. This is the first Holt disc to contain
original material. Eight of his own songs are
included in this collection of fiery, hard
rocking, pop grooves that mix rock with
modern country. The tone of his six strings
is impressive on every song and all the
rhythms are catchy. It is rare to find an artist
who is equally talented with his guitar
playing, singing and songwriting. He is
strongly backed by Geno Haffner (keys),
Tom Larson (drums) and Keith Kenyon
(bass). Greg Hampton does a fine job
producing and was successful in capturing
Scott’s coarse energy, resulting in a disc
with a clear, crisp sound. Holt is now based
in Nashville and the influences of the Music
City are obvious on the title track. It sounds
like it may have been an outtake from the
Rolling Stones’ Some Girls sessions. Holt’s
southern drawl is Jagger-esqe on the song.
Nonetheless, its the best original tune on the
disc, including a wildly passionate guitar
solo, and it should prove to be a huge hit on
radio. He borrows a riff from SRV’s "Cold
Shot," and uses it as the driving force on
"Too Far Gone." "Dress You Up" is a
modern rock song in the vein of Pearl Jam,
with chain-saw, rumblin’, crunchin’ guitar. A
soft medley is interlaced with a powerchorded
chorus on "Up In Flames." Guest
musicians Paul Barrere and Billy Payne of
Little Feat round out the sound on "Spanish
Moon" and "Blind Willie McTell." On the
former, they add enough funk to make it the
best of the covers on the CD. Holt has a
winner with this irresistible tune. The guitar
work, piano playing and sheer energy will
appeal to anyone who has a pulse. Scott
gives it his all vocally on the latter. In fact, he
delivers the lyrics as if Blind Willie was his
all-time best friend. Things are toned down
on the standard "Got A Mind To Give Up
Living." Here, Holt’s always pleasant
sounding voice needs some grit to match
the intense pain expressed with his guitar.
He has the potential to soar to greater
heights in the rock arena, and thus should
be marketed for that field. If you were
expecting a young protégé of the blues, you
have come to the wrong place. If you have
come to hear a wailing, scorching rocker
who is destined to be on the next G3 tour,
you won’t be disappointed. Catch him in the
clubs and at the festivals before your only
choice is the nosebleeds at the stadiums.
By….Tim Holek
SCOTT HOLT • ANGELS IN EXILE
BSM 3001-2
www.ScottHolt.com - Blues Bytes

DME Music Review
SCOTT HOLT
Scott Holt comes not out of the blue, but
straight from the blues, having served
for years as a Buddy Guy apprentice.
Still, there's a little of Guy in Scott's
music - sure, veteran hardly needed a
mirror in his own band! Holt's a master
in his own right, yet his affinity for Peter
Green can't be denied, and it shines
through heartbreaking "I've Got A Mind
To Give Up Living" - sparse guitar lines,
Mayallish piano (thumbs up for Geno
Hattner!) and touching voice remind of
"Looking For Somebody". That's
arguably the best track off all, the most
authentic blues, lingering on to Dylan's
"Blind Willie McTell", which now
regained its appeal with swamp slide
threads across fiery playing. There are
two more veterans on this track, namely
Billy Payne and Paul Barrere of LITTLE
FEAT fame, all three pay a tribute to the
great late Lowell George by covering his
"Spanish Moon", and what an
interpretation it receives!
Then, this inspired approach makes it all
as contemporary as the blues can be, if
"Dress You Up" is blues at all, leaning
to alternative type of hard rock. No
doubt, though, about "The Unforgiven"
heavy roll casting the Jimi shade, but
what buys is the less decorated sincerity
of "Who You're Thinking Of" and "Too
Far Gone", voice and instrument stride
hand in hand, or "Baby Let's Go",
equally rough and smooth to get hooked
on. "Strong Enough For Goodbye" soul
feels strange here, but Scott lets guitar
do the talking and wins - even when
commercial gloss takes over, like in
"Angels In Exile". J.J. Cale's songs have
always been the walking stick, so Holt
fishes out "I'll Make Love To You
Anytime" and effectively wraps it in
Elmore James live envelope to juxtapose
to anxious gloom of "Up In Flames".
Scott Holt, a new keeper of the flame?
That will do, the blues won't get
dusty. - DME

Angels In Exile – BSM 3001-2

Don't let Scott Holt's
association with Buddy
Guy mislead you. He's a
closet rocker, and his third
solo release demonstrates
a desire to follow more in
the footsteps of his idol
Jimi Hendrix-than in those
of his employer. Nothing
wrong with that but with
the plethora of Kenny
Wayne Shepherds and
Jonny Langs out there, it
seems a surprisingly
limited choice-especially
considering Holt's chops
and quality schooling. His
last release, Dark of the
Night, announced the
guitarist's arrival with a
mixed bag of styles and
some credible celebrities.




Angels in Exile is no
different, though he's taken
the leap of incorporating
more original material.
I'd be lying if I didn't
admit to diving on the disc
given its guest list of Bill
Payne and Paul Barrere,
who assist Holt on a cover
of the Little Feat classic
"Spanish Moon" and a
ripping version of Dylan's
"Blind Willie McTell.")
The disc's worth the price
for the fleeting Feat fix
alone, with "Spanish
Moon" delivered in the
funky, multi-layered spirit
of the original.) But with a
few exceptions, Angels in
Exile doesn't deliver on
Holt's potential. He's still
searching for his voice.
He's got the pyrotechnics
to do the job, but the songs
are all over the map, the
styles too diverse to get a
handle on and the vocals
inconsistent. The opener is
a light rock piece saved by
Holt's soloing. "Too Far
Gone" successfully
conjures the ghost of
Stevie Ray Vaughan but
leaves a formulaic
aftertaste, while "Dress
You Up" is an odd flip,
marrying Arc Angels to
Metallica.




Starting with "Spanish
Moon," where Holt sits
back a bit and has some
fun, the album takes a turn
for the better. The slow
blues "I've Got A Mind To
Give Up Living" makes
the most of Holt's beefy
baritone and sets the stage
for some tasteful string
bending. The epic, seven-
minute take on "Blind
Willie McTell," starting
slow and building to a
scorching conclusion, best
reveals Holt's capabilities,
and the disc closes with
the atmospheric "Strong
Enough For Goodbye,"
which succeeds on Holt's
ability to hit a nerve. With
each step, this relatively
young player gets closer to
his game. His home run is
just a few more innings
away.
Review By - Eric Thom

- Guitar Noise