VICTOR WAINWRIGHT AND THE TRAIN
RUF 1254
HEALING–WILTSHIRE GRAVE–TRAIN–DULL YOUR SHINE–MONEY–THANK YOU LUCILLE–BOOGIE DEPRESSION-EVERYTHING I NEED–RIGHTEOUS–I’LL START TOMORROW–SUNSHINE–THAT’S LOVE TO ME
Pianist/composer/vocalist Victor Wainwright is both a Blues Music Award and Blues Blast Award winner, and, for his latest album, he and his new band, The Train, take the listener down the blues track for sure, but also takes some interesting and unique detours through the twelve original cuts that comprise this self-titled album for Ruf Records, produced by Victor and Dave Gross. Victor intended to create the majority of this music himself, and the fans are the winners, as this is a varied and eclectic set that mixes eight-to-the-bar boogie woogie with Southern rock, straight blues and some good ole New Orleans funk.
Victor leads off with the gospel-fired, testifyin’, horn-heavy romp of “I Need A Healing,” then weaves a spooky, NOLA-ish tale of tollin’ bells, ostracizing and scrutinizing, “down by Wiltshire Grave.” Victor holds nothin’ back with the clickety-clack boogie groove of “Train,” and keeps that groove rockin’ with the perfect prescription for that “Boogie Depression!” He closes the set with a couple of really cool tunes. First is he Allman-esque, jam-o-riffic romp that is “Sunshine,” then closes the set proper with a brilliant change-of-pace love song, where Victor realizes nobody’s perfect, but our flaws are why “That’s Love To Me,” with some mighty fine organ in the mix.
We had two favorites, too. Victor pays a sweet tribute to B. B. King, with a shout-out to that world-renowned Gibson guitar, “Thank You, Lucille–the thrill will never be gone,” with Monster Mike Welch on that brilliant guitar work. And, another sweet boogie woogie might be a message to a lot of us who don’t necessarily want to heed our doctor’s advice, “I’ll Start Tomorrow!”
Victor Wainwright is an artist who knows how to make just plain ole good music, no matter what genres’ he might bend. Either get yourself a ticket and get on board, or get outta the way of Victor Wainwright And The Train! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
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