Bitrate: MP3@320K/s
Time: 40:14
Size: 93,2 MB
Styles: Harmonica blues
Scans: Full
1. Franklin Avenue (3:57)
2. Home (4:02)
3. God Will Understand (4:36)
4. Watch Your Back (3:47)
5. She (4:57)
6. That Was Our Good Bye (6:40)
7. T'es La Femme Qu'il Me Faut (3:52)
8. Dull Knife (3:31)
9. Hangover (4:47)
Other Rooms, the 18th album from New Orleans-based songwriter Andy J Forest, adds another chapter to his portfolio, which he’s quietly built into one of the most impressive songwriting catalogs in the city. The prolific Forest has developed a knack for romanticizing life on the streets of his Bywater neighborhood, and he leads off here with another song in that genre, “Franklin Avenue,” about the street that marks the dividing line between the Marigny and Bywater neighborhoods. The song moves merrily along with a second-line beat propelled by Kirk Joseph’s sousaphone, percussion from Pablo Leoni, Washboard Chaz and Gary S. Underwood, and a punching horn section of Ian Smith and Riccardo Gibertini on trumpets, Mike Kobrin on trombone and Jason Mingledorff and Marco Zaghi on saxophones.
The uptempo vamp “Watch Your Back” features Forest’s harmonica in a great call-and- response with the horn section. “She,” a song written for Forest’s partner Karen, also features a terrific horn arrangement. The album includes Forest’s moving tribute to longtime friends Coco Robicheaux and Kenny Holladay, who died within a month of each other last fall. Forest wrote “That Was Our Goodbye” so quickly after their passing that he was able to play it at the memorial show for Holladay at Check Point Charlie. Anders Osborne played the song with Forest that day and appears again here on the album.
One of the most remarkable things about Forest’s career is that he’s adhered faithfully to a blues format yet found ways to grow musically within it. Most blues players describe a very small and very emotionally intense circle and stay within that over the course of their career, but Forest is continually pushing his blues frameworks into funk, traditional R&B and swing directions to accommodate his extensive lyrical wordplay. Forest has matured as both a vocalist and harp player over the years, scaling back some of his wilder eccentricities as he plays with the melodic content of his songs.
The album hangs together really well considering it was cut with different bands in three different countries. My only complaint is that it’s only nine songs long. The first time I listened to it, when the album came to the end I thought my CD player had broken. I guess Forest is working off the old show-biz adage, “leave ‘em wanting more.” These days everything is about individual tracks anyway, not album concepts, so I guess it no longer matters how many songs are on an album. /John Swenson, OffBeat Magazine
(For full personnel and recording details, see artwork included.)
The uptempo vamp “Watch Your Back” features Forest’s harmonica in a great call-and- response with the horn section. “She,” a song written for Forest’s partner Karen, also features a terrific horn arrangement. The album includes Forest’s moving tribute to longtime friends Coco Robicheaux and Kenny Holladay, who died within a month of each other last fall. Forest wrote “That Was Our Goodbye” so quickly after their passing that he was able to play it at the memorial show for Holladay at Check Point Charlie. Anders Osborne played the song with Forest that day and appears again here on the album.
One of the most remarkable things about Forest’s career is that he’s adhered faithfully to a blues format yet found ways to grow musically within it. Most blues players describe a very small and very emotionally intense circle and stay within that over the course of their career, but Forest is continually pushing his blues frameworks into funk, traditional R&B and swing directions to accommodate his extensive lyrical wordplay. Forest has matured as both a vocalist and harp player over the years, scaling back some of his wilder eccentricities as he plays with the melodic content of his songs.
The album hangs together really well considering it was cut with different bands in three different countries. My only complaint is that it’s only nine songs long. The first time I listened to it, when the album came to the end I thought my CD player had broken. I guess Forest is working off the old show-biz adage, “leave ‘em wanting more.” These days everything is about individual tracks anyway, not album concepts, so I guess it no longer matters how many songs are on an album. /John Swenson, OffBeat Magazine
(For full personnel and recording details, see artwork included.)
Other Rooms mc
Other Rooms zippy
7 comments:
Thanks Rooster. good album.
Have had this one since it's initial release. As happymonk said, its damn good and is well worth a listen by anyone who likes Andy's music, or the blues. Also suggest you look up a group called The Washboard Chazz Blues trio, which also features Andy on guitar and has several albums out.
You are both welcome Happymonk and Pmac, glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your comments.
Thanks a lot. This is very hard to find.
And it is real good music.
You're most welcome Manning, glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your comment.
Many, many thanks @Red Rooster for this rarity!!
You're most welcome Bob, glad you enjoyed the post. Thanks for your comment.
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