Meschiya Lake & The Little Big Horns
Album: Fooler's Gold
Label: Continental Record Services
Tracks: 14
Website: http://www.meschiya.com/

The real test of a sophomore album is that it makes you want to go out and get the debut, if you missed out on it first time around, well "Fooler's Gold" definitely ticks that box and more. Meschiya (pronounced Ma-shee-ya) Lake and her cohorts The Little Big Horns have delivered an album that really makes a mark, double underlined.

Meschiya has an absolutely stunning voice that could have been almost made in a lab to match the requirements of that New Orleans jazz/blues sound, a voice that's all the more remarkable considering the years she spent working in a freak show come circus as an eater of fire, insects and glass or maybe that's why her voice is as it is.

Despite the title, this sequel to "Lucky Devil" doesn't exactly scrimp, wading in shy of an hour and delivering some fourteen songs of slick, revivalist delight. Little Big Horns easily contribute their fair share to the work rate and the sound finding a real soulful touch to their brass induced sound.

It would be easy to call "Fooler's Gold" a dance record, but it is more than that in some ways, the album is an historical record and a tribute to the New Orleans that got washed away by Katrina, making a nod towards the old juke hall bands whilst, at the same time defining their own sound within the genre. You think Dr John would definitely approve, particularly if he checked out, "Satan, Your Kingdom Must Come Down."

You may be getting the impression that this one has been really cutting my rug. You'd be right, I don't think I could speaker higher of this album if I were doing an impression of a castrato on helium.

Mechiya Lake &The Little Big Horns have been stomping their way to wider recognition back home, well here's hoping it makes an impression over here and whilst you're check it out seriously consider doubling up on "Lucky Devil"

Neil King