Low Society review…Dec. 9, 2014

LOW SOCIETY

YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOOD WOMAN DOWN

ICEHOUSE RECORDS  IHR 9502

CRAMMED AND JAMMED–VOODOO WOMAN–NEED YER LOVE–SON HOUSE SAYS–YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOOD WOMAN DOWN–THIS HEART OF MINE–UP IN YOUR GRAVE–LET ME RIDE–NO MONEY DOWN–YOU GOT A RIGHT–EL DIABLO–SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER

Low Society blends blues, funk, soul, and even gospel led by powerhouse vocalist Mandy Lemons and her slide guitarist and producer, Sturgis Nikides.  Add in Mike Munn on drums and Nick Dodson on bass, and this set simply drips with pure, gritty Memphis soul.

The set is entitled “You Can’t Keep A Good Woman Down,” and is twelve cuts, ten of which are originals.  Check out Mandy’s booming vocals and that boogie-fried slide of Sturgis’, on the chugging opener, “Crammed And Jammed.”  Dr. Herman Green, one of Memphis’ best-known sax men, adds his magic to Mandy’s soulful take of “Voodoo Woman,” while Mandy shows her emptional side on the slow-burn of “This Heart Of Mine,” and “Need Your Love.”

“Let It Ride” has a gospel feel,  led by John Shaw’s acoustic piano, as Mandy preaches to us all with a super-charged vocal.  Contrast that with “Up In Your Grave,” as Mandy tells a no-good lover that “I’d rather have you dead than talkin’ out of your head!”  She closes things with the SRV-flavored roadhouse rock of a love gone bad in a hurry, “Should’ve Known Better.”

We had two favorites, too.  Mandy declares her independence on the rocked-up “You Got A Right,” and tells everybody in the Joplin-esque title cut that “I got five more waitin’ in line behind you,” to any potential suitors with agendas.  This one has great acoustic piano from Rick Steff, too.

Low Society is full of the high-energy juiced-up boogie that the blues needs more of.  You can almost taste the barbecue sauce drippin’ off every cut of “You Can’t Keep A Good Woman Down!”  Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.