Dr Project Point Blank Blues Band have more reasons than most for singing the blues. In their 20 year existence they have seen their homeland (the former Yugoslavia) torn apart, and have had to overcome several hurdles to keep going. Thankfully they have made it to their seventh album, appropriately entitled "7th."
The album opens with an intriguing ode pondering the evolution of music from when dinosaurs roamed the earth into modern day blues, which wonders whether things have really changed: people still have their reasons for singing the blues. This segues into the primitive rhythmic chant of "Dinosaur Blues," before coming right up to date with "21st Century Blues." This offers a better example of the band's sound: electric blues, with a psychedelic edge.
Bandleader Dr. has a great big deep voice, and is a fine guitarist to boot, playing with plenty of attack, whilst always staying firmly in blues territory. "7th" is very much a band effort, though, with Zoran Milenkovic (bass) and Jovan Pejcinovic (drums) providing the solid foundation for Dr. and Darko Grujic (keyboards) to build upon. This works best on tracks like "Flipping Out Blues," the excellent "Seven Blues," and the low down and dirty "I'm Damn Good Blues."
The album closes out with a brace of country inspired tracks. Although "My Friend And I" sounds like a Johnny Cash tune, it is, like all the other tracks, an original. It is followed by the excellent "Dedicated" (dedicated to Cash), where the spirit of The Man in Black lives on in Dr's voice.
"7th" is a very fine album from a very fine band. There is a great raw edge to the band's sound, which sets them apart from many of today's blues bands. With a spirit akin to that of RL Burnside, Dr. Project Point Blank Blues Band's "7th" is an album well worth investigating.
www.pointblank.co.yu.com
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