New Brunswick's Glamour Puss has three previous CDs. The five piece group has been nominated for and/or won many awards for their contemporary, eclectic mix of roots music. Recently, they received four Maple Blues Award nominations for the seventh annual edition to be held January, 2004. Two of the nominations (best recording and best producer) are for the new CD, Wire & Wood. Their 52 minute debut release for the NorthernBlues Music features the label's usual fantastic liner. This one is multi-colored, very informative, folds out several times and includes the lyrics of the 15 tracks. Ron Dupuis (drums), Travis Furlong (guitar), Paul Boudreau (bass), Roger Cormier (keys, accordion, harp) and Don Rodgers (sax) combine their unrestrained talents to create happy, upbeat, groovin' music that celebrates life. Montreal blues artist, Michael Jerome Brown, handles production and contributes rhythm guitar, fiddle, triangle and harmony vocals. Throughout the brass is enriched thanks to Phillipe Lucy (sax) and Roland Bourgeois (trumpet). On this innovative disc, Glamour Puss thinks outside the blues box and covers a lot of musical ground. All members sing but the liner fails to indicate who sings which tracks. This would have been nice to know since they don't share the same smarts as individual singers.
While in the midst of a coast-to-coast Canadian tour, Furlong explained the attraction to NorthernBlues. "Fred (Litwin) is an artist in his own right when it comes to running a label. He is in the record business but the biggest part of his business is having a home for roots and blues artists. He's a giver rather than a taker. He has a philosophy of what he wants on his label and he sticks to it. His heart and mind is in the right places and he genuinely and purely loves roots and blues music. That was our pet label that we admired since its been going." It's not surprising to hear so many musical styles in their sound since eastern Canada is as musically diverse as New Orleans. What is interesting is to be a blues band when the dominant genre is Celtic. "I was brought up on a lot of country but Roger, Paul and Ron grew up with the Acadian stuff. We all listened to many styles and we made sure we found what touched us the most. You can be surrounded by something yet go with something different. That happens with artists. They have to find their own niche."
The new disc has an authentic feel from start to finish. Travis explained how that came about. "The first disc was recorded live off the floor with very little overdubs. The second one was more of a typical studio CD but it lacked a live feel. The 3rd was a live recording made at the Harvest Festival (in Fredericton, NB) which really caught our energy. For this 4th CD, we returned to the studio but more for the sound quality since we also wanted to capture the live performances again. We knew from the live recording that the stuff we'd taken chances with came out sounding fine. As producer, Michael Jerome Browne's mindset was to keep it recorded live and have it fresh. After hearing some of the first recordings, we felt it wasn't always the hottest solos or the most incredible vocal but we had captured the band's performance which his what we wanted. The project had to be greater than the sum of its parts. I think we learned how to do that in the studio for the first time instead of doing overdubs to get every little thing perfect. It came out very honest."
The new songs are based on everyday experiences such as moving, searching for a lost pet and being in love. It's the horns that grab you initially on "Kitty Kitty". They are quickly augmented by the responsive rhythm of keys and guitar notes. "Don't You Worry" is heavy blues-rock in the vein of Walter Trout. Short, stinging guitar solos are played after each line of every verse while the organ provides groovy fills. New Orleans meets the Mississippi Delta on "You're Rich I'm Poor". A crawfish festival comes to mind when you hear the Acadian, foot-stomper "Maman Don't Play No Zydeco". One verse is sung in French while the entire song gets an all-French lyric workout at disc's end. The heavy, "Dangereuse" is also sung entirely in French. Here, Don's sax does its best to sound haunting and frightening though it's absence may have resulted in a more eerie sound. The sole cover is John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" which was selected by the group's manager. Don't expect the usual in-your-face, high-strung, guitar version. "If You Miss Me" is a slow blues worthy of being sung by Bessie Smith while "Million-Air" most closely matches the pattern of traditional blues. The title track is a love song to Travis' favorite thing - his guitar. Throughout the CD his guitar work is stellar but it shines on the acoustic instrumental "Blues For Sheila" which has challenging and interesting timing.
What sets Glamour Puss apart is that, "We have been able to meet originators of blues from different eras like Honeyboy Edwards and Buddy Guy. We have the roots of zydeco and cajun music right under our feet. We are different because we are able to take all that influence and put it all together. We come out with a different sound, a sound that's all our own and that we are very proud of." Besides being popular in Canada and Europe, Wire & Wood is helping to break them into the lucrative US market. "The tour we are on now includes the US. The stateside stuff is because of W&W so even though its only been out a short while, its already done well for us. We have already gained more exposure with it and it has stirred up a greater interest in the group."
All tunes are in the three minute range. There are no extended solos and no chance to get bored with any of the songs. Along the way, you'll encounter plenty of jumpy and punchy rhythms that will have you hopping out of your chair and creating an instant dance party. You'll especially enjoy the riveting songwriting, articulate guitar, simmering keys, Staxville horns and admirable production. Travis admits "solid" is the one word he would use to describe the new CD. "Everything came together from a creative standpoint. We have been together for 8 and ½ years. The songwriting is better, the arranging is better. We have all grown and we are all pulling in the same direction." If you are searching for the definitive 12 bar blues band, these guys aren't that. Glamour Puss borrows from all American roots music and creates a party that offers something for everyone. Furlong says, "Blues is not pretentious music. Its a celebration of the soul and all the things that go on inside it. If you are happy, blues music will make you happier. If you are down, it will pull you out of it."
Awards are sure to abound from this recording. The band's sound is unique in a sea of fabrication. Your only concern will be why you didn't get hip to them years ago. Forget the theory of a blues/hip-hop marriage to be the future of blues. Glamour Puss is laying down the future of blues and roots right now.
For CDs, booking and information, contact: NorthernBlues Music, 225 Sterling Road, Unit 19, Toronto, ON Canada M6R 2B2 Tel (866) 540-0003 Website: www.northernblues.com Band website: www.glamourpuss.ca
Tim Holek - Freelance Journalist/Photographer - www.mnsi.net/~thblues
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