Standin’ Pat
VizzTone, 2022
9/10
The San Francisco outfit, The Lucky Losers, return with 11 original tunes, where Cathy Lemons and Phil Berkowitz, the movers and shakers behind the band, deliver plenty of retro, soul, blues and Americana sounds.
“Pack Up The Bags” starts the listen with Chris Burns’ lively keys, as bright brass from Michael Peloquin, Brian Catania and Mike Rinta complement Lemons’ soulful pipes, and “Somewhere In The Middle” follows with Berkowitz’s playful harmonica and Jon Otis’ proficient drumming adding much to the harmonic and gritty blues rock.
In the middle, the intimate spirit of “Down In Memphis Town” benefits much from Peloquin’s glowing sax and Ian Lanson’s meticulous electric guitar, while the frisky delivery of “Rust Belt Blues” bounces with Endre Tarczy’s animated bass and Lemons’ soaring pipes front and center.
Residing near the end, the powerful “They Wrecked My Town” benefits from Kid Andersen’s agile organ playing and the poetic singing, and the lively title track exits with Terry Hanck’s charming tenor sax and the pair’s lovely vocal harmonies that we could never tire of.
An extremely diverse affair that even touches on funk and R&B, Lemons and Berkowitz and company really have created something special, and there just isn’t a moment here that’s not top notch and worth repeated listens.
Travels well with: Ben Levin- Take Your Time; Al Baslie- Through With Cool