GEOFF ACHISON AND THE SOULDIGGERS
LITTLE BIG MEN
JUPITER 2 RECORDS
CRAZY HORSE–NEWS–HAPPENING–RULE THE WORLD–LITTLE BIG MEN–FEEL LIKE A KING–WAGGING THE DOG–ZOMBIFY–BIT BY BIT–FAKE IDENTITY–LIVING IN FEAR–NEVER GIVE IT UP–REACH FOR THE SKY–BOY–KERRY LOU–CHASING MY TAIL–CHANCE
Growing up,in an isolated section of Australia, a young Geoff Achison taught himself to play an abandoned guitar he found under the stairs of his family home. Armed with only a handful of records in his limited collection from which to learn, he was soon coaxing a myriad of sounds out of his instrument without the aid of any pedals or modification. By his twenties, he was lead guitarist in Melbourne’s top blues band, and, after a move to the UK, he soon had a worlwide following.
His latest release is actually a remastered version of his 2005 debut, “Little Big Men.” It saw limited U. S. distribution, but that has since been remedied with this version, which includes three bonus tracks. Throughout, Geoff’s unbelieveably-dazzling string-bending is the epicenter of the project. He also possesses a gritty, soulful vocal delivery, acquired through listening to the great blues and R & B singers during his youth. He has a keen ear for a good lyric, and does not shy away from hot topics dealing with a world seemingly at war with itself.
That was an underlying theme of this set. In 2005, when this album was released, the world was still reeling from 9\11, and Geoff’s writing reflects this. Check out “did you see the News,” “Living In Fear,” and “Rule The World” for great examples of this. He has hope for the future, tho, through “Feel Like A King” and the slightly reggae-fied beat of “Never Give It Up.” He shows us a brilliant display of guitar pyrotechnics in the sonic thunderstorm that is “Reach For The Sky.” Also, two of the three bonus tracks, “Kerry Lou” and “Chance,” both dealing with love affairs that go awry, are augmented by a punchy horn section that give them a classic-soul feel.
Geoff Achison tapped into the blues as a young man, enamored with its philosophy of looking into oneself for truth and honesty. Perhaps if Robert Johnson had somehow met Geoff at the mythical Crossroads, that infamous “deal” might never have gone down! Catch Geoff during his extensive tour of the U. S. this summer, and find out why he was voted one of the “100 Most Gifted Guitarists You Should Know!” Until next time….Sheryl and Don Crow
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