Lightnin' Moe follow up their highly enjoyable first album "Take It Easy Baby" with a new 16 track offering. "Things Go My Way" has 9 originals songs written by leader Morten Stenbaek and 7 covers. The album was also recorded as they state in the booklet "in the old school way", playing live, which was recorded onto 4" analog tape. Morten and his band have managed to get that dirty gritty feel, which I have to say is missing on allot of modern day recordings.
The CD kicks off with the title track which is a Morten original and is a lovely
swinging horn driven item until Kasper "Lefty" Vegeberg gives a blistering guitar solo in the middle of this good song. A couple of Eddie Jones (Guitar Slim) tunes are a highlight of the album "Sufferin' Mind" has some great guitar playing from Kasper, who uncannily sounds like Eddie, whilst Morten's vocal is very competent as the song floats along. The other Eddie Jones tune is "Something To Remember You By" which is handled extremely well by the band and Kasper again shines through on his Eddie sound alike solo's. Piano player Peter Lapiki is the driving force behind "Everything's Alright" and it certainly is, a forceful driving hard number. Morten's "Walkin' On Thin Ice" is a raunchy rocking piece of emotion as is "Cool Riding Daddy" which featuring Morten playing harp and singing through the harp mic giving a distorted dirty vocal.
The album has it's quieter moments as on Eddie Boyd's "Third Degree" which features Thomas Nitschke on Acoustic Bass and Tim "Jumpfoot" Peterson on the brushes, playing his drums, Peter Lapiki on piano and Morten singing laid back whilst Kasper's guitar fills are inspired. Kasper has the ability to sound like so many great guitar players, which is exactly the case on Magic Sam's "Things Gonna Be Alright," he sounds like Sam, as he shows us how good a guitar player he is. There are horns featured on some of the songs, but a special mention must be, for the excellent playing on "Let Me Prove," which features Eric Stengaard on Baritone Sax and Troels Mygin on Tenor Sax. George Smith's "Telephone Blues" brings to close this very good set of songs with Morten's impassioned vocal and magical harp leaving the listener wanting more. A worthy follow up album and one that should see them enter the world stage and if there is any justice conquer it.
Band Information www.lightningmoe.dk
Email stenbaek@lightningmoe.dk
Cope Records www.coperecords.com
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