Tom Hambridge – Down The Hatch
This set, while filled with high-octane blues fuel, has good riffs, clean sound, adrenaline-driven vocals, & ear-caressing sonics. It’s a blues that begins credibly but is more rooted in entertainment than the rootsier forebearers. There’s plenty of gutsiness, but a few lack soul. What’s admirable is that the skillful, hard-working drummer Tom Hambridge does indeed possess a substantive blues presence. The guitars of Rob McNelley, Buddy Guy, Bob Britt & Tom Bukovac are superb & lay down the propulsion across a distinctive bluesy path.
Tom (drums/vocals/triangle/tambourine/songwriter) is a 4-time Grammy winner. Many of today’s blues enthusiasts aren’t aware of how close to the edge they come when performing authentic blues & adding their own modern wizardry. It often steps over into entertainment. Blues is a cracked, worn leather saddle, not a highly polished lemon-scented piece of Mahogany.
“I Want You Bad” is authentic. A good authentic. It’s an original song that doesn’t become trendy. Tom displays an arresting vocal against the lead guitar cries. This is where Tom’s magic is dutifully realized with guts & determination. There are 12 varying blues qualities on Down The Hatch (Drops Aug 29/Quarto Valley Records/41:13) produced by Tom & recorded in Nashville.
“How Blues Is That?” is woven well but with thin threads. The title suggests so many cool themes, but while the showcase is played convincingly, those possible themes aren’t explored. Songwriting isn’t easy. The blues-elders used their lyrics creatively as much as their music & mood of their blues. Their choice of “voice” given to each song was also carefully considered.
“Hard Times” is good. It aches, has nuance, & good intonation by Tom. The vocal complements the guitars. Then Tom kicks into a higher gear with the melodic blues-rocker “What Does That Tell You” that has a soulful angle that sparkles. Is it retro? Sure. But the song is reshaped with expertise by Tom & company. It’s a well-defined blues vocal that’s evident, but some material doesn’t always provide substantial expression. “Believe These Blues” slips back into blues entertainment, not hard living, desperation, a loss of a woman, no money for booze, or dying on the side of the road.
Essentially, some tunes shine like diamonds & others zirconia. “Making Lemonade” is a misstep – true blues isn’t novelty. It erodes credibility. Fortunately, Tom never depends on gimmicks. His LP is heavy on authenticity when he percolates. He does have an earthiness with his inspired delivery. A good producer’s input is worth the investment.
Highlights – “I Want You Bad,” “Hard Times,” “What Does That Tell You,” & “You Gotta Go Through St. Louis.”
Musicians – Tommy MacDonald & Anton Nesbitt (bass), Glenn Worf (upright bass), John Lancaster, Mike Rojas, Noah Forbes, & Jimmy Wallace (keys), Kevin McKendree (piano), & Tim Lauer (accordion).
Color image courtesy of Tom’s Facebook gallery. CD @ Amazon & http://hambridgetunes.com/
