Reviews
Artist:Todd Partridge Album: Desert Fox Blues
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 12
Website: https://www.todd-partridge.com/
Since discovering the guitar aged around 18, US based singer-songwriter Todd Partridge has spent the rest of his adult life to date making his own music. Firstly with the band Black Light Syndrome and then Salamagundi, followed more recently by 5 albums and 10 years of shows across the US and Europe with critically acclaimed band King of the Tramps. As an aside, I’m lucky enough to be familiar with the King of the Tramps work having reviewed their marvellous 2019 record ‘Wild Water’, and amongst many other things, I remember being much impressed then with Todd’s voice
In 2023 he released his first solo album ‘Autumn Never Knows’, followed up now by 2024’s ‘Desert Fox Blues’.
Musically Todd touches many bases, as is to be expected with such a long and varied career. We are told when growing up in rural Iowa Todd absorbed the blues, folk and country sensibilities from there, all washed in a soundtrack of his parents music collection that ranged across Dylan, The Beatles, Blood Sweat and Tears, Santana, which was topped off with a weekly dose of the Grand Ole Opry on TV every Saturday night.
Accompanying Todd on ‘Desert Fox Blues’ are the core band of seasoned players Winston Watson, drums, Nick Agustine, bass, Tom Albanese, harmonica and Kent Burnside on guitar.
And what a sound they make!
These ten groove driven, fuzzed up, distorted, battered and beaten tracks are a masterful musical melding of old and new, looking backwards and forwards in equal measures.
To check out but three of the ten songs here, ‘Depression’ roars through on driving guitar, bass, drums and harmonica with Todd’s megaphone treated vocal testifying deep in the mix, the intro riff of ‘Keep On Keepin’ On’ sounds like an archetypal Status Quo number only to be derailed by Todd’s bonkers Jaggeresque vocal mannerisms, while the sublimely laconic stylings of ‘Jimmy Carter’ might just make it the ‘best of the beats’ track on this album of rhythmic mastery.
‘Desert Fox Blues’ is something of a triumph on all levels for Todd Partridge, and of course for everyone else involved in its making. I can remember saying something similar with the King Of Tramps album back in 2019, but at the risk of repeating myself, to my mind the only way these songs could be improved upon would be to hear them bashed out live in all their glory.
A great listen and thoroughly recommended.
Paul Jackson
| Previous | Next |
|---|---|
| Art Block: Stones And Fire | The Tannahill Weavers: Solstice |
Recent Reviews
- Wynonna:The Hard Truth
- Rob Lytle:Americana Dream
- Paula Fong:A Bird On The Wing
- Mimi O'Bonsawin:EVOKE
- Helen and The Neighbourhood Dogs:Anything That Moves
- Dryadic:Permission To Speak
- Clive Woolf:Live At Dingle's, 1974
- Carla Gover:Williams Branch Is Hard To Find: Si Kahn's Songs For Strong Kentucky Women
- Camille:The Sound Of Milk
- Birdvox:Shamming The Drama
Gentleman Blues
Fatea Showcase Sessions
The Fatea Showcase Sessions are a series of downloads featuring acts that we've really enjoyed and think that more people should get the chance to hear.
Pirate is the current session and features 16 fantastic artists check out the website to find out more about them and download your copy
www.fatea-showcase-sessions.co.uk for all the artist information.