ANTHONY GOMES
ELECTRIC FIELD HOLLER
UP 2 ZERO ENTERTAINMENT
TURN IT UP–BACK DOOR SCRATCHIN–WHISKEY TRAIN–BLUESCHILD–NOWHERE IS HOME–LOSING GAME–THE BLUES AIN’T THE BLUES NO MORE–JUNK IN THE TRUNK–LOVE CRAZY–RED HANDED BLUES–DELTA RAGA–LISTEN TO THE UNIVERSE
The last time we saw Anthony Gomes was during Blues Awards week a few years ago. We always catch Barbara Blue down at Silky Sullivan’s during that week, and on that night, Anthony dropped in unannounced and played a hot surprise set. He’s just released his latest set of blistering blues-rock, “Electric Field Holler,” that not only showcases his guitar and vocal chops, but brings out a great storyteller’s side of his talents.
Born in Toronto, he picked up the guitar as a teen, immersing himself in the sounds of Clapton, Buddy, and B. B. He sums it all up quite succintly in the autobiographical “Blueschild,” where he describes his love for the blues—“I heard it in the cradle, I’ll take it to the grave” The plight of the 1.5 million homeless children in the USA is touched upon by the poignant tale of “where can you run to when Nowhere Is Home.” He tries to dull the pain of a lost love by “going halfway down the label” and ridin’ hard on that “Whiskey Train.” This one, a sweet slow-blues, is full of excellent flourishes from Anthony.
There are some less-serious cuts, too. The “more cowbell” of the leadoff “Turn It Up” has Anthony telling us he has “Mississippi thunder in my soul,” and is “comin’ to rock your town!” “Junk In The Trunk” is an ode to those booty-licious hip-shakin’ mamas found on dance floors everywhere, and “Red Handed Blues” has a couple of cool plot twists as a man tells his fiance’ he and his buds are going fishing, but hit the strip club instead!
For all of Anthony’s electric mojo, one acoustic-themed cut stood tall for us. It’s an intriguing story borne of the Delta, and, altho the Crossroads are still there, “the Devil don’t live there no more,” because “The Blues Ain’t The Blues No More.” It’s a reflection of changing times, as “we ain’t got no tomorrow and we ain’t got yesterday!”
Anthony Gomes is a fine student and scholar of blues history, and truly has “a blues soul in a rock and roll heart.” “Electric Field Holler” is a sho’ nuff cure for what ails you! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
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