Max Hightower – Nothin’ But The Truth
This debut of originals produced by South Carolina’s multi-instrumentalist blues rocker Max Hightower (vocals/guitar/harmonica) & Big Jon Atkinson (lead guitar) was recorded in New Orleans, LA. The 12-cuts are Southern fried blues with spices, a dash of funk & lots of deep-rooted grooves that sizzle on Nothin’ But The Truth (Drops Feb 21/MoMojo/42:14).
Lots of flavors from a genre done a lot & found in a vintage pot of good tunes…that simmer here. Now this isn’t John Lee Hooker, Sonny Boy Williamson, or Mike Bloomfield-type blues. Max succeeds in providing some originality threaded carefully through an old fabric. Starting with “Double Bubble” & cruising through the first 4 songs.
Max has a tightly woven Stevie Ray Vaughan style of vocalizing. What’s added is the nicely accentuated saxes & fiery harmonica runs. It’s invigorating & firmly established in a retro frame that never sounds entirely old-fashioned. I like Max’s raw, gutsy approach. Max should explore blues topics that are a little heavier with his kind of voice. Hightower should apply a beefier Tom Waits froth where Max’s voice would work best. He certainly nets a Waits growl on “I Ain’t Lyin,’’’ a good showcase with an almost Art Pepper-type sax that blows mighty fine.
The vocal inflections are often old-school. To gain traction in the blues circles Max needs to apply an edgier, darker Robert Johnson expressiveness lyrically. I say this because as good as the performances are they do hover close to posturing. Max Hightower is better than that. He has musicianship, the road-tested voice that John Hammond also possesses & understands the genre thoroughly.
Fortunately, Max’s songs don’t sound like they’re following a specific vintage recipe. The horn inserts are clever, the drive has muscle & Max tries to pump out as much blues heat from his oven as he can.
“Sweet Gum Tree,” is smoky. His tonality is raw & cuts through effectively some (“Too Much of Not Enough”) don’t sound like they were captured (recorded) cleanly. Maybe the dirtier sound was intentional since even the guitar is thin-sounding. Max’s overall sound is typically in the late 60’s tradition (Canned Heat, Ten Wheel Drive, Cold Blood & Mother Earth with Tracy Nelson) & manages to maintain a captivating horn-based blues feel. It’s not Johnny Winter, John Mayall, or B.B. King but there are many well-fleshed-out blues tunes in this collection.
Highlights – “Double Bubble,” It’s On Me,” “Here She Comes,” “Damned If I Do,” “Sweet Gum Tree,” “I Ain’t Lyin’” & “Assmograph.”
Musicians – Brandon Phelps & Nick Solnick (drums), Steadman Williams Sr. & Tyler Thompson (bass), James Beaumont (baritone/alto saxes), Adam Lessneu (trombone/Sousaphone), Rob Davis (piano/organ/bgv) with Brian Coogan (piano/organ).
Cover image courtesy of James Beaumont. CD @ Bandcamp & https://maxhightower.com/music
