With Cities In Blue Danny Marks has created an album that is both authentic and inspired.
In fact, you just don’t hear albums that breathe like the way this baby does!
Even though the songs were used as the soundtrack to the television show, on the cd they come off as songs that hold together.
Houston to L.A. and the excellent Belt Line Blues are prime examples.
On the latter when the song’s dynamics come down and Marks sings in a hushed baritone voice “But I gotta go Mama and my father says hand me the keys” It is sublime.
This is the beginning of many genuine moments that continue to occur on this recording.
Check out the great horn arrangement or the backing vocals by Sherie Marshall on Memphis Got Soul let alone the great groove of Al Cross
It comes off as Mar-Keys approved folks.
Marks nails the vocal and feel on both Heading Down to New Orleans and Blues Came To Chicago the latter with very cool contributions from David Rotundo and Julian Fauth.
Marks and Chris Whitley channel “Ol Satchmo’ (Louis Armstrong) on the cover of Once I Was Crazy, while Lights Out shows off Marks superb Ventures style guitar tone.
Produced by album bassist Alec Fraser and Marks the tracks recorded at various studios sound very vinyl warmth in nature.
And that adds to it’s charm.
We are only barely 5 months into the year and already this album should be on every blues lovers top 10 list.
JOHN EMMS is a veteran music journalist, Sun Media columnist, passionate music fan, and singer-songwriter with Canadian Blues Rockers THE SHAFTMEN
JOHN is also on Twitter
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