Hear The Track Here
333maxwell had a very good 2008, ending up with two Tracks Of The Year from me (Post War Dreaming and After Hours respectively), not bad going especially when the main genre for the bulk of this artists work is the much maligned jazz. Having said that, THOSE two tracks were jazz but he has surprised me by wandering into other areas but Willow Weeping finds him in yet another genre that has as many detractors as fans. As an old dog, I grew up with the blues in many forms but really started to appreciate it more with the explosion of electric blues in the late 1960's, and this is the area 333maxwell has chosen to mine for this track.
I have to be honest, when I first heard this track my initial reaction was wtf? Had the man sent me a demo? This is an artist I have come to know and like tremendously and it surprised me how rough and slung together (like a jam, maaaaaan) even down to the odd mains hum. The blues is, of course, a genre that can be stretched everywhichway and 33maxwell does his level best to push it into some interesting shapes. Instrumentally, of course, there isn't a lot you can do with the basic line of bass, drums, guitar and keyboards but that first impression (it's a jam) stayed with me longer than it should have.
At the height of the 60's blues boom I was into the usual English suspects but bands like the Paul Butterfield Band played a large part in it to, especially guitarist Mike Bloomfield. I mention them specifically because that is what WIllow Weeping reminds me of, both technically and the way the track is put together. I've always been a sucker for Hammond organ use in the blues and this track contains a splendid example of why and it's that combination that finally sealed the deal for me. Mind you, I'm still not sure - even now - about the overall structure of the peice but maybe that's just me being picky.
Highly Recommended Electric blues.
No comments:
Post a Comment