Blue Train
Seraphic, 2022
8/10
The front woman Solitaire Miles and company return with 16 originals and covers delivered with the utmost care in a mashing of blues, roots, Americana and jazz sensibilities.
“I Wanna Rock” opens the listen with Miles’ charming vocals alongside snappy drumming and warm brass in a delivery that will get your body moving, and “Sweet Baby Of Mine” follows with spirited guitar, Miles’ vivid storytelling and Howard Levy’s well timed harmonica.
Near to the middle, “Hummin’ To Myself” showcases her expressive pipes in the blues landscape, while “Chills And Fever” recruits soulful backing vocals to the stylish and swing friendly album highlight.
Moving towards the end, “Do You Love Me? (I Gotta Know)” emits a vintage quality to the charming demeanor, and “The Peter Gunn Theme” exits the listen rhythmic, cinematic and quite memorable in its skilled interpretation.
A listen that’s certainly steeped in retro styles, the ensemble make the most out of Western Swing and Honky Tonk, too, as each song brings new surprises that you can’t help but enjoy.
Travels well with: Courtney Freed- Big Crazy Love; Dawn Derow- My Ship: Songs From 1941