This is the Blues Volume 3 and 4 Review

By: Dr. Matt Warnock

There are few genres of music that are so beloved and so wide spread today as the Blues. Reaching across borders, languages and beliefs, the blues can be heard being played in Chicago night clubs, Japanese concert halls and festivals in Tiradentes, Brazil.

There is something at the base of the blues, perhaps it’s the simple chord structure or the emotionally charged lyrics that speaks to people in a very deep way. Because of this, it’s no surprise that musicians from all walks of life and musical backgrounds have embraced this genre in their artistic output.

One of the biggest attributes to the blues, its history and abundance of recorded material, can also be a little daunting to the new-found fan, or even the experienced listener who is looking to explore new avenues and players in the Blues genre.

While most people will simply buy an album from the biggest name they recognize, or perhaps if they’re lucky a friend will recommend a record for them to check out, most of us simply don’t know where to start if we’re looking for an introduction to this fabled musical genre.

Well, this dilemma hasn’t been lost on the folks over at Eagle Rock Records, and their new series entitled This is the Blues aims to do two things, introduce new fans to a wide swath of Blues artists, as well as give old fans a one-stop collection of some of the biggest names in the business.

After the success of their initial two offerings, the company has outdone themselves with Volume’s 3 and 4 by including even more legendary performers and another 30 tracks for people to enjoy on these two discs.

With such a successful launch to this series, one only hopes that it will not only continue to churn out great records, but that the company but expand their offerings into the world of Jazz, Country, Rockabilly and other non-pop oriented music.

This is the Blues: Volume 3

Click to Download This is the Blues Volume 3 from Amazon

Volume 3 has a little bit of everything to offer fans of the blues, both new and old. There are songs by Peter Green, “Crawlin’ King Snake,” Gary Moore, “Serves Me Right to Suffer,” Mick Abrahams, “The Same Way” and “Gary Brooker, “Little Wheel.” While all of these tracks are first rate, there are two that stand out above the crowd, for both their personal and their enjoyment level, “Showbiz Blues” by Rory Gallagher and “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” by Jeff Beck.

Both of these tracks are indicative of the guitar work that has made both of these players legends in the blues and blues-rock worlds. While many listeners will already be familiar with Jeff Beck from his solo work, or earlier work with The Yardbirds where he was teamed up with Jimmy Page, Gallagher is an often under-appreciated player who proved time and again with his recordings that he deserved to stand next to the best players in his era, or any era for that matter.

This record is a good collection of old and new, legends and working players, a little something for everyone to enjoy as they listen to these 15 classic blues tracks.

This is the Blues: Volume 4

Click to Download This is the Blues Volume 4 from Amazon

The fourth volume in the This is the Blues series is similar to the previous three, in that it offers a good variety of players and songs for listeners to enjoy, but with some fresh faces thrown in for good measure. Among the bigger names on the album are Mick Taylor, “This is Hip,” The Pretty Things, “Judgment Day,” Ian Anderson, “Man of the World” and Billy Sheehan, “Oh Well.” But there is one name on here that immediately caught my attention, though he’s not the most recognizable at first glance, and that’s Top Topham.

Playing guitar on the track “Drifting,” alongside band mates Jim McCarty and Andy Cleveland, Topham lays down some great guitar work, not the best on the record, but memorable none the less. If some of our readers are scratching their heads at this point trying to remember where they’ve see Top’s name before, he was the original guitarist for The Yardbirds, before leaving to be replaced by Slowhand himself, Eric Clapton.

Though he has moved in and out of the music business over the years, Topham has managed to keep his chops up and sounds like he hasn’t missed a beat in the interim years after moving on from The Yardbirds. His tone is solid. His time right in the pocket and his ideas are fresh and innovative. All the things that made him great back in the day are still there. This is an enjoyable walk down memory lane, as well a great window into the creative output of one of rock’s most underrated players.

While these two albums are missing some of the biggest names in the blues, none of the King’s (Albert, Freddie or B.B.) are included for example, there are enough great players and tasty Blues songs to satiate the appetite of even the most seasoned Blues fan. If you’re looking to introduce yourself to the genre, or are bored with the records you already have, check these albums out, you won’t be disappointed.