Travelin’ The Dirt Road
VizzTone, 2020
9/10
Listen to Travelin’ The Dirt Road
Bob Corritore is a songwriting machine, and he gives us a pair of previously unreleased tunes with a reissue of this 2007 debut album where Dave Riley’s inimitable pipes are along for the bluesy festivities.
“I’m Not Your Junkman” starts the listen with Riley’s gravely pipes and Corritore’s soulful harmonica interacting in a timeless blues fashion, and this formula continues to the gritty melody of “Travelin’ The Dirt Road”, as well as the carefully strummed guitars from Johnny Rapp on “Overalls”.
In the middle, “Let’s Have Some Fun Tonight” moves cautiously with strategic percussion from Tom Coulson, while playful bass from Paul Thomas makes “Let’s Have Some Fun Tonight” one of the album’s best. “Way Back Home”, another stand out tune, then takes nods to the south with its bouncy spirit.
Near the end, “Country Tough” certainly carries country influences amid its raw moments, and “Safe At Last” exits the listen soft yet powerful with gospel flavor injected into Corritore’s unmistakable song craft.
A debut that embraces both Chicago and Mississippi blues, it’s certainly no surprise that Corritore would go on to have the career that he is currently enjoying, and this well packaged reissue clearly illustrates that there’s never been a dull moment in his exceptional catalog.
Travels well with: John Primer & Bob Corritore- The Gypsy Woman Told Me; Johnny Burgin- Live