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LEHIGH VALLEY BLUES NETWORK REVIEWSlam Allen - "Things Sho' Done Changed" - RaveOn - RO-333 |
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Singer/guitarist Slam Allen's debut on RaveOn Records is a welcome change from the recent heavy on guitar/light
on vocals trend in younger blues musicians. The emphasis here is on Allen's smooth, soulful vocals, with his
single-string guitar approach providing excellent complement. Things Sho' Done Changed is a successful mixture of
soul, blues, funk, and R&B, all of which were penned by Allen himself. Hailing from upstate New York, Allen grew
up playing drums and later rhythm guitar in his father's R&B band, the Allen Brothers. It was here he learned and
performed the music that would be his major influences - the Stax and Motown sounds, Atlantic soul, classic blues,
and '70's funk, all of which show up here in one form or another. The disc kicks off with the soulful Sittin' In My
Window, a lighthearted groove about his obsession with a beautiful stranger. Ain't Nobody Got the Blues Like I Do 
is a straight-ahead blues shuffle, with guest Ray Shinnery, a vocalist/guitarist who has worked with King Curtis in
the 60's, trading off with Slam on both vocals and guitar. Clear My Mind and I Just Want You shows off his funky
side, while tracks like Let Love Go , Sometimes You've Got to Have Pain, and the title track combine his heartfelt
singing punctuated by B.B. King-inspired guitar runs. Also included is a bonus live acoustic duet with vocalist Bill
Sims, bringing the disc to a very pleasant close. For Windows and Macintosh users, a bonus CD-ROM track has
been included, which contains a live video clip from Allen's performance at the Blues 2000 Festival in September of
1997, background information, and a RaveOn Productions catalog with sound samples of other releases. For those
that enjoy their blues mixed up with a whole lot of soul, Things Sho' Done Changed will not disappoint.
Gene Tomko |
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