SKYLA BURRELL BAND
BLUES SCARS
GREENBROKE/VIZZTONE VTSB22
BLUES SCARS–BLUESIN FOR YOUR LOVIN–TROUBLE–STUCK IN A STRUGGLE–LOVE LETTER IN BLUE–LIVIN FOR THE BLUES–SHUT YOU DOWN–LIFE STORMS–WORLD WIDE BLUES–FULL TIME GAMBLER–JACE–JUKE JOINTIN’ TONIGHT–6 MILE CEMETERY ROAD–21ST CENTURY BLUES–BAD BUSINESS
Skyla Burrell is not only an easy-on-the-eyes blues-shouting mama with incredible chops, she is just as impressive a guitarist as well. She and co-founding guitarist Mark Tomlinson formed the Skyla Burrell Band in 2004, and they have been tearing up the club circuit all over the U. S., Europe, and Canada. They pride themselves in their all-original material, and their current album, and fifth overall, is entitled “Blues Scars,” with nods to the ups and downs of traveling on the road as a blues combo. Ezell Jones, Jr., adds drums, while Michelle Lucas is on bass, to round out the foursome.
Skyla has one of those perfect, whisky-soaked-with-honey voices that is full of the passion and conviction that it takes to be a great blueswoman. They start things rockin’ with the funky backbeat of the title cut, and Skyla’s pronunciation of “temp-a-ture” is just as sexy-cool as it can be! “Love Letter In Blue” is her ode to a lover, reassuring him that “no matter where you go is where I’ll be!” “Life Storms” is a red-hot shot of roadhouse rock, while her homage to the sorry state of world affairs is presented samba-ish style as “World Wide Blues.”
She takes a shot at a lover who’s always too busy with social media to pay attention to her, literally giving herr the “21ST Century Blues!” They close the set with a cool, stop-time rocker that has Skyla telling another cheatin’ lover that it’s “Bad Business, baby–always creepin’ around on me!”
We had three favorites, too. Skyla’s ready for a night on the town, “movin’ and groovin’, Juke Jointin’ tonite!” The band’s autobiography shows that “the blues ain’t easylivin’ life on the road,” and is entitled “Livin’ For The Blues,” and features some killer slide work. And, “Trouble” is the story of a “bad boy” that Skyla just can’t resist, admitting that “he’s just what I had in mind!” This one is set over a rockabilly beat, and Skyla has a lot of fun with the vocal!
With five albums to their credit, here’s hoping “Blues Scars” will bring the Skyla Burrell Band the breakout recognition they deserve! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, Nashville Blues Society…
donandsherylsbluesblog 