Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears

Blues fans who have long watched the horizon for the emergence of a bluesman who would lead them out of the dry valley and into the promised land to revitalize and reclaim what was once a thriving personality driven genre, Black Joe Lewis may very well be the man you’ve been waiting for.

Being a blues fan, among other things, it gets kind of old when the usual staples of blues music pop up in seemingly varied albums. I know, its an homage, a tribute to said players roots in blues music. As tastefully done as it is its still something you’ve heard before and if you’ve dug as deep as I have you’ve found the perfect version of said song and just get tired of hearing it. Enter Black Joe Lewis. He sounds like a cross between Jimi Hendrix and James Brown. His snarling vulgar mouth providing a little bit of the old with a little bit of the new. Take for example track 3, Cousin Randy, a Son House/Robert Johnson blues jam, part poetry slam/folk story. All these years later bluesman are still taking chance meetings with the Devil.

The first two tracks, Gunpowder and Bitch, I Love You is a throwback to the flirtatious early years when blues and soul got intimate providing a glorious horn section with Lewis screaming out his words like a reincarnated James Brown. The guitar work here is reminiscent of Johnny Winter’s work with Calvin “Loudmouth” Johnson on Blues To The Bone and Jimi Hendrix’s Blues. Its really the perfect package taking an old formula of music and giving it new life.

Though the EP is only four tracks long it seems like a whole lot more. The enjoyment of this album, based solely on your preference towards the Blues and the amount of vulgarity your willing to take, is magnificent. If you can dig what Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears are dishing out your going to play this album to death. I’ve listened to it about six or seven times already and every time its over I start wishing the album was just a little bit longer. Well worth checking out. Enjoy.