Russ Green – Stone Cold
It’s nice to hear an album sonically wound from the opening notes. Tight as a knot in a piece of string, a ball of aluminum foil, or a rusty bolt on an old truck tire out in the field under a willow. Yeah. This Russ Green plays harmonica like the cry of a wounded animal somewhere out in the darkness — but it’s only solid ice blocks shifting on a frozen lake in the middle of the night.
What am I saying? I’m saying this is glorious. The harp screams like a banshee, only its notes are savoring & recorded so well you can’t hear Russ take a breath. Maybe he’s taking a breath the way Louis Armstrong did when he played the trumpet… from the corner of his mouth.
The 10 tracks on Stone Cold (Drops May 29/Overton Music/50:03) were self-produced by Chicago native Russ Green (harmonica/vocals) & recorded in Chi-Town. It opens with an electrifying “Lint Redux,” & rolls into the soulful blues of “Stone Cold.” Both display smooth moves that simmer in a steady integration & with heat-hazy blues projections. You feel the humid breeze of the harp; there’s moisture on your brow, boys. It’s durable music enhanced by both Russ Green’s fevered harp slices & warm soulful voice.
Too smooth to be Sonny Boy Williamson (Rice Miller), too traditional to be a Fabulous Thunderbird, too creative to ignore. The original tunes have the necessary ornamentation to render them of interest without sounding too retro. The momentum is an expressive delivery; the arrangement is combustible & the performance is controlled. Nothing’s bombastic, though it teeters on muscular. Always an energetic display. Each tune has its own signature, & none emulate the past short of implementing its spirit. The lyrics can be creative on this sophomore LP & are more visionary than motivational. Green has hard-earned experience — obvious through each breath that flows through the harp comb & creates the character in his vibrant sound.
Even some of the lesser tunes have accomplished performances. “Nobody Knows” is a bit lyrically redundant & repetitive, but the performance, the music & precision are more than required to be satisfying. The band’s interplay & support on many tunes have a bracing propulsion. On “Need You So Bad,” it rollicks with loop-de-loop guitars, jaunty piano & jungle drum discipline.
“Boogie Joint” is a last call for drinks tune. A fiery jump-blues. Thankfully, Green is a blues artist who isn’t always singing about losing his woman, killing the man escaping from the bedroom window & or drinking himself into a stupor. Russ Green kicks pretty hard. Because he can.
Highlights – “Lint Redux,” “Stone Cold,” “12 Feet of Water,” “Hey Man,” “Need You So Bad,” & “Boogie Joint.”
Musicians – Giles Corey & Vince Agwada (lead guitars), Vic Jackson (bass), Felix Pollard (drums) & Joe Munroe (keys).
CD cover image courtesy of Howard D. Simons. CD @ Amazon https://russgreenmusic.com/album/3869785/stone-cold & https://x.com/BlindRaccoon9/status/2056374249045016921