Fading Away
VizzTone, 2020
9/10
A Brazil native who now calls Los Angeles home, this 5th album from Artur Menezes displays his profound guitar talent as the blues based tunes inject funk, rock’n’roll and even the rhythms of his homeland into these 8 impressive tracks.
Menezes starts the listen with thumping drums on the title track, as his fluid and soaring guitar riffs enter the bluesy rocker, and “Devil’s Own” follows with some ambience that leads into an emotive and slow burning, thick atmosphere that’s both muscular and poetic.
There’s a couple of guests in attendance, including Joe Bonamassa on the crunchy rocker “Come On”, which nearly hits hard rock territory, while “Free At Last” recruits Josh Smith on the funky, soulful album highlight that uses vocals sparingly but effectively.
Another exceptional track, “Fight For Your Love”, gets rugged yet melodic with fuzzy guitar and proficient drumming, and “Green Card Blues” exits the listen with nearly 10 minutes of dizzying guitar solos, incendiary percussion and gritty vocals on the blues explosion that lyrically might be autobiographical as it tells the story of a young man’s journey to the United States from Brazil.
An artist whose intricate chord changes, very specific tones and superb layering is nothing short of amazing, if Menezes isn’t on your radar yet he should be, as few bluesmen today are making music with this kind of impact.
Travels well with: Erin Harpe- Meet Me In The Middle; Heather Newman- Rise From The Flames