MATTY T WALL
TRANSPACIFIC BLUES VOL. 1
HIPSTERDUMPSTER RECORDS
BOOM BOOM–HI HEEL SNEAKERS–QUICKSAND–SHE’S INTO SOMETHING–STORMY MONDAY–BORN UNDER A BAD SIGN–I’M TORE DOWN–CROSSROADS
Matty T Wall is another shot of that “thunder from Down Under,”as the Australian bluesman’s career has been on the steady rise since his 2016 debut, “Blue Skies,” and its follow-up, “Sidewinder,” from 2018. On his latest album from Hipsterdumpster Records, “Transpacific Blues, Vol. 1,” features Matty paired with some of the most dangerous guitar-slingers on the scene today! On this set, we need to use our collective imaginations, and picture a huge freight train, with Matty and the guests “ridin’ the blinds” and getting on and off to play their selections.
Along with Matty on guitar and vocals, his core band features Ric White on drums, and Stephen Walker on bass. The big train stops first “down under” again, with fellow Aussie sltdemaster Dave Hole as he and Matty show us how to “talk that baby talk” on a cool cover of John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom.” Eric Gales gets on board next, and brings the scratch ‘n’ funk to a sweet take on “Hi Heel Sneakers.” The train pulls into the Harris County, TX, station next, for Kid Ramos and Matty to jump the boogie on Albert Collins’ “Quicksand.” Walter Trout steps up next, on the New Orleans-styled, rhumba rock of “:She’s Into Something–you should be in to something, too!” Our final guest gets on board in Memphis, as Matty and Kirk Fletcher lay down that menacing, minor-key groove of “Born Under A Bad Sign.”
Matty goes it alone on three cuts. First up is a monster, six-minute slow-ride on that big train out west again, for T-Bone Walker’s “Stormy Monday.” He pays a sweet tribute to Texan Freddie King on a slowed-down take of “I’m Tore Down,” and this mythical train ride comes to its conclusion down in Mississippi, at Robert Johnson’s “Crossroads,” where that infamous deal went down.
Matty T Wall, along with some of his best friends, make “Transpacific Blues, Vol. 1,” a real treat for lovers of traditional blues that is given a contemporary spin. Matty, bring on Volume 2! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow.
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