OLD RILEY AND THE WATER
BITING THROUGH
HOWLIN FOR MY DARLIN–BLUES WALKING–KIND-HEARTED WOMAN–TRY AND UNDERSTAND–BITING THROUGH–TROUBLE–POWER TO CHANGE
Guitarist, vocalist, and composer Sean Riley literally lives and breathes the city of New Orleans. He created his latest EP, “Biting Through,” with a little help from some of his friends in Sean’s rehearsal space and his living space in his Creole Cottage in uptown NOLA. The vibe of the Crescent City can be heard throughout the seven cuts, all originals save for “Howlin For My Darlin.”
Utilizing a core of excellent New Orleans musicians and Joshua Cook, who provides guitar and vocals throughout, the party starts with the aforementioned Howlin’ Wolf chestnut, embellished herein with unique echo-effects to achieve the desired vocals. Joshua and Sean collaborate on the Robert Johnson-inspred “Blues Walking,” and again with “Kind-Hearted Woman,” while “Try And Understand” is pure Chicago blues, as our hero tells a paramour that “I just want to be your lover, don’t want to be your old man,” slide guitar wailing alongside Scott Craver’s harp. “Biting Through,” amid all its psychedelia and distortion, pays homage to the British Invasion bluesmen, and that power-packed punch served as one of our favorites. The set closes with our other favorite, as the fellows dig into some cool, Meters-ish funk, as we all “got the Power To Change, it’s up to you to use it!”
Sean and the members of Old Riley And The Water have crafted a set that, as soon as it starts gettin’ good to you, is over. It’s hard-hitting, funky blues from a group who all draw from the deep musical wells of New Orleans, and we look forward to a full-length set from these fellows soon! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.
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