Kevin Ball & The Busters – Buster’s Tunes
Recorded remotely at Howard’s Apartment Studio, Nashville indie artist Kevin William Ball dug back into his catalog to unearth music he still needed to unwrap. It’s a final document since Kevin was diagnosed with a terminal illness & feels this could be his last official statement. The 11 songs produced by Dave Coleman (lead guitar) on Buster’s Tunes (Dropped June 24/Independent/45:46) is to be the breadth of Kev’s musical life. It cruises through Americana; roots & blues done throughout his career.
First listen, it’s easy to hear the fine playing’s expressive. The famous Bob Dylan backing group The Band used to pride themselves on their more soulful, rustic R&B background blended with their Americana spirit. The fact that their last 3 LPs when Robbie Robertson no longer played & Richard Manuel passed away weren’t as impressive. Except for “Book Faded Brown” the sets were lacking. Weak material.
Now along comes Buster Kev. The solution would have been here. His rocker “Hey! It’s Saturday Night,” has a jubilant Band approach. The kind of country-soul a reconstituted Band needed for a 2nd coming; King harvest had surely come. But one original song doesn’t make a Band songwriter. Well, the 2nd “My Baby’s Got a Hammer,” is pure Band autumn colored music.
This album has what the original Band LPs had. Smooth, rustic chimney smoke persuasive. The playing is energetic & sweet in the ear. Others take our minds on a journey. Isn’t that what good music is supposed to do? Ball’s voice & songs do it. Add a voice like Johnny Rivers (with his Levon Helm tone & intonation) & his writing along with Kev’s & The Band would’ve been on track.
But it didn’t happen. So, sit back & wallow with a smile in the imaginative expertise of a single performer with his own musicians to soak up his melodies quietly. It’s an unobtrusive tonic to allow Buster Kev’s guitar & voice to be the rosy scent of fresh autumn apples in your room. “Slowly” is superb. “Soul Survivor,” has colorful language, soulful with a rootsy edge, Bottle Rockets vocal fortification & J.J. Cale guitar crawl.
A bit dark like John Campbell is “Natchez Trace Blues” & “Blues Ain’t Nothing” with a Joe Bidewell harmonica swipe ala Paul Butterfield cool. The groove & vibe percolate. A slow burn saloon blues “Another Round of Blues” is mindful of David McWilliams’ “Don’t Need Your Blues.” Even Sinatra could’ve done these. “Long Gone” – well, that’ll play in your head long after it’s over. Like any of these Kev Ball songs. Wish I could sing like Kev Ball.
Highlights – “Hey! It’s Saturday Night,” “My Baby’s Got a Hammer,” “Slowly,” “Soul Survivor,” “Natchez Trace Blues,” “Blues Ain’t Nothing,” “Another Round of Blues” & “Long Gone.”
Musicians – Chris Benelli, Alphonso Wesby & Marshall Richardson (drums), Jared Manzo, Ron De La Vega & Dan Seymour (bass), Joe Bidewell (keys/bgv), Bradley Beard (keys), Paul Neihaus (pedal steel), Lou Rodriguez (lead guitar late tracks), Jeremy Holt (acoustic slide) & Lightfoot J (toe tap).
Photo courtesy of Meg Suhr. CD @ https://kevinballthebusters.bandcamp.com/album/busters-tunes