CD Review: Jeff Powers

Jeff Powers has a new disk which starts quite simply. It’s a down home blues rock song called Longest Train( Long Gone) A nice 2 chord progression played on an acoustic, with a 3 chord turnaround for the chorus. The Neil Young like vocals come n and set the tone, then the band kicks in for the track and Adding the final touch is a cigar box guitar with a slide. 

For those of you who don’t know, a cigar box guitar is just what it says; a cigar box fitted with a neck, a pickup and about 3 strings, usually played with a slide for a delta blues feel which gives this song a very train like feel.

13 seconds and 57 shots, is another very Neil Young type song about the Kent State Massacre, which sadly still resonates in today’s culture. It’s another 3 chord southern blues song and captures the drama of the event portrayed and another featuring some wicked cigar box action.

Down In New Orleans is a little more folk country in flavor. It’s really just a simple song with a pleasant charm with an accordion to accompany and give it that Louisiana flavor the song begs for.

In a Bad Mood has a very haunting melody, sounds like a lonely and brooding night on the front porch of a county home. Syncopated acoustic rhythms make this song with just a little bit of Ray Manserick style organ.

The only one I’m not completely sold on is Gypsy Girl, written about Ani DiFranco, mostly because the vocal melody doesn’t quite compliment the song, but the story is compelling and reminds me of several hippie women I’ve known throughout the years. The song is well written overall and props to the DiFranco nod.

For brevities sake, ill skip to Wild child, which deviates from the pleasant folk aesthetics we’ve heard thus far and kick you in the gut with a dirty blues via cigar box guitar once again, but it definitely the featured instrument, and has an accompanying blues harp (harmonica), the essential counterpart for delta blues rock. This is definitely the signature

After that, it settles down a bit into the brooding yet melodic folk like blues based music the cd is essentially compromised of.

The gems her on out are just because He’s Wrong, which has the vague feel of Eric Burden and the Animals.

The overall feel of the album is roots rock with an acoustic feel, accompanied by a solid backing band and is part of the return of good American music that pulls from the great American songbook. This album is deep with the emotions and musings of a man on a quest to find himself and his culture and sharing his experiences with us and I am glad he did.

4 out of five wood carved stars with a ceramic cow.

To purchase the album, click here.