Hundred-word Reviews for April 2025: Blues

Yet more of my quick, capsule reviews. This time: the blues.

Carly Harvey – Kamama
I’ve been meaning to review this one for awhile; I’m sorry it’s taken so long. Washington DC singe-songwriter Carly Harvey is nominally a blues artist, but the music on Kamama folds in everything from field hollers to Native sonic textures and more. Her vocalization on “Native Scat” is just that: powerful wordless singing that sets the mood for a deeply engaging album. She rocks hard in a soulful, bluesy way on “Mean Old Woman,” a track featuring fiery guest guitarist Joe Louis Walker. The album features a few other guests, but Harvey is the undisputed star of the show. Great stuff.

Tommy Castro and the Painkillers – Closer to the Bone
I last covered Tommy Castro ad the Painkillers on release of their 2022 Stompin’ Ground. The band’s approach on that and many other releases explored textures beyond the blues: r&b, rock and so forth. As the new album’s title implies, this time around Castro focuses on the blues. It’s a welcome excursion, as Castro understands the form, and brings freshness and vitality to the project. Notable guests include Jim Pugh, producer Kid Andersen and Chris Can – but the latter plays piano, not guitar. Uptempo is the feel, and good-timing is the attitude. Everyone sounds like they’re having a good time.

Jimmy Vivino – Gonna Be 2 of Those Days
Vivino was in town just last month; I was out of the country and missed the show. My guess is that Gonna Be 2 of Those Days does a good job of capturing his live sound and feel. Vivino is known as the latest in a proud lineage of guitarists for Canned Heat, but on his solo album, he showcases his own stomping, hard-bluesin’ style. He’s an expressive player and a powerful vocalist. John Sebastian and Joe Bonamassa guest on select tracks. The smoky, simmering “Ain’t Nuthin’s Gonna Be Alright” is a fine number, and it’s representative of the album.

Sean Chambers – Live From Daryl’s House Club
Sean Chambers got an early and well-deserved break playing with Hubert Sumlin. After the passing of Kim Simmonds, he hooked up with the Savoy Brown rhythm section (bassist Pat DeSalvo and drummer Garnett Grimm). The trio was captured live at Daryl Hall’s venue for this twelve-song collection. The set list draws from Chambers originals, Savoy Brown classics (“Cobra” and “Street Corner Talking”), blues standards (Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf etc.) and even a ZZ Top cover. Chambers is a credible vocalist, and the lean and mean trio format give him plenty of space to showcase his vocals and sizzling guitar work.

Tony Holiday – Keep Your Head Up
Memphis-born (and L.A.-based) vocalist/harmonica player Tony Holiday has crafted an appealing collection of songs in Keep Your Head Up. He employs a long list of players on this eight-song release, infusing the original songs with tasty bits of horn, electric piano, slide guitar and more. Holiday’s focus, however, is mostly on his soulful vocals; they’re the centerpiece of the set. Notable guests include Albert Castiglia, Eddie 9V and Kevin Burt. Holiday’s tasty harp work isn’t showcased as much as one might expect, but when it is, it’s on point. Opener “She’s a Burglar” gives a good taste of the record.