CD REVIEW: THE DIRTY TRUTH by Joanne Shaw Taylor

THE DIRTY TRUTH by Joanne Shaw Taylor
(Axehouse Music)

Blues artist, Joanne Shaw Taylor returns with her fourth studio release, 'The Dirty Truth'. A solid album all the way through that shows off her vocal range, guitar prowess, and songwriting skills. It looks pretty evident that SRV and Albert King are her main influences. Her style is reminiscent of the sound of the two great players of the past and this is really clear in the two excellent slow numbers included in the mix. Her guitar playing is off the charts. Her voice is soulful and she does not need to scream to get her point across. Stand out songs are, "Mud, Honey", " The Dirty Truth", "Fool In Love", "Tried, Tested And True" and "Feels Like Home". Not one disappointment. Fantastic tone with real soul in the playing. There is a lot of great guitar to be found on this one and her backing band are also top notch. Dave Smith on bass guitar, Steve Potts on drums and Rick Steff on keyboards. Joanne Shaw Taylor vocals may be an acquired taste, but she uses what she has well. Bottom line is, 'The Dirty Truth' is her best studio album yet and she continues to be a shining star in today’s blues world. Joanne Shaw Taylor is a fine example of a blues artist who takes new directions while remaining true to the essence of the genre.- Highly Recommended
Tony @ The Dedicated Rocker Society