Pieces
Bonfire, 2020
8/10
This 8th album from the Jason Lee McKinney Band continues their fusion of blues, folk, soul, country and gospel ideas into an energetic rock’n’roll formula where there’s no shortage of grooves and an abundance of rootsy sounds.
The album gets off to a rugged start with the sturdy guitar work of “Normal Is Just An Exit”, where the blues finds a powerful and melodic place to reside, and “Good Old Soul” follows with a classic appeal that alternates between soft and soulfully rowdy, as organs complement the affair.
Further along, “New Strings On An Old Guitar” flows with restrained melody on the folk influenced setting, while “Groove Is Getting Old” delivers grooves you won’t tire of anytime soon with some funk for good measure. One of the album’s best, “Cover Town”, then uses piano and country influences in the emotive atmosphere that’s as timeless as it is gripping.
Near the end, “Put Up The Good Fight” moves with playful rhythm while some falsetto vocals appear in the soft rock template, and “Blues In Bahrain” ends the listen with a quick paced rocker where strong riffs and backing female vocals add much to the finisher.
McKinney is also a college professor and a family man, and somehow he finds time to pen an eclectic and often retro friendly career highlight here that would settle well in any decade since the ‘60s..
Travels well with: The Allman Betts Band- Down To The River; Old Salt Union- Where The Dogs Don’t Bite