Joanne Shaw-Taylor 'Nobody's Fool' 2022

DavidR

Just listened to this (for free via YouTube Music - my new best friend).

There's a variety here from JST. Those looking for the raunchy blues of White Sugar or even her last studio release, The Blues Album, made during Covid, will find less guitar generally and more singing and slower tracks. Not being cruel but think Adele meets Dusty Springfield for some of the tracks. There's a cover of Missionary Man which lacks the spark of Annie Lennox on the original. It's too slow imho. Missionary Man was not a ballad. OK, interpretation, but it didn't work for me at all. And don't be fooled, JST's "Won't Be Fooled Again" really isn't a version of the Who's "Won't Get Fooled Again". It features Joe Bonamassa but is/and so it's much more pedestrian.

Clearly JST is changing and evolving. She has a great voice and maybe she's exploring that in this album I think. Good on her.

Ooh, and an acoustic on the track "Fade Away". That's new isn't it? From the video on YouTube a Gibson Southern Jumbo I think. Sounds lovely. As does she on much of this album.

If you approach the album as not being by a brilliant English proponent of up-tempo electronic Blues, and if you don't miss her guitar playing (I did) then it's really quite good.

Neilybob

Great write up.  

She’s touring in the uk at the moment. Might have to have a listen and grab some  tickets. 

EricTheWeary

Had it on earlier. Worried that it would be just a lot of undistinguished mid tempo blues but actually quite varied. Missionary Man (with Dave Stewart, Jo's old boss, adding something to the track) isn't terrible but doesn't add anything either.
I've quite often criticised modern blues based guitarists for not focusing enough on songs and vocals but here Jo has done that. I'll keep going back to it. 


[ IIRC her dad used to be a regular on TDPRI so I wonder if he ever lurks on here] 

RocknRollDave

Neilybob said:

Great write up.  

She’s touring in the uk at the moment. Might have to have a listen and grab some  tickets. 

Have you seen her ticket prices, though?!

EricTheWeary

RocknRollDave said:

Neilybob said:

Great write up.  

She’s touring in the uk at the moment. Might have to have a listen and grab some  tickets. 

Have you seen her ticket prices, though?!

£42.50 to £62.50 at Brum town hall. Proper nice venue but that does seem a lot. Looks about 2/3rds of tickets sold.