Johnny Hoy &
The Bluefish
WALK THE PLANK
Tone-Cool 1166
mp3s on rhapsody
also available on amazon
One of the more pleasant surprises this spring was the appearance of this disc in the mailbox. This is one of those bands whose roots are in blues, but they have moved and taken the music in many wonderful new directions. Maybe if you have to classify them, and I understand the desire to have an idea of what you are getting in for when you go to buy a disc, roots music might be better. They take their blues base and mix it with country/honky-tonk as on JUST ANOTHER WHEEL, at one point it seemed as if some Jerry Jeff Walker associated had hijacked the disc to do a guest stint. His voice does have that husky rasp that one associates with whiskey, cigarettes, and late nights in the bars. The band shows they are aware of the prominent influence now of southwestern Louisiana with a little Cajun two-stepping in OPELOUSAS SOSTAN. They are not ripping off the genre, but rather paying homage to the area, as they do the song in their own way. One of the main draws of this disc is that the players seem to be enjoying what they do. Listen to what might be their closer, ROCKING MY LIFE AWAY, and tell me this band isn't going to go places. Though the music comes from many different directions their underlying base of blues and the players having a good time playing ‘their’ music holds the tunes together. The solos are kept short and everyone seems to get their chance to step up to the mike and shine. They do shine as their playing and the overall sound is a good step up from the ordinary. This is one of those backs that I would love to see live. I hope they get out and tour because they are one of those bands that are going to build a strong base by being seen.
Songs, times, and writers All songs J. Hoy unless noted
1. LOVE DOG - 3:56
2. YOU YOU YOU - 2:56
3. A.T. - 3:59
4. HONKYTONK FORGIVENESS - 5:12
5. I'M TIRED - 4:18 - R. Sykes
6. IF YOU LOVE ME - 4:24
7. P-MAN - 3:41
8. JUST ANOTHER WHEEL - 4:38
9. OPELOUSAS SOSTAN - 2:16 - B. Graeff, V. Palmer
10. HOWLIN' FOR MY DARLING 4:37 - C. Burnett, W. Dixon
11. BACK WHERE I BELONG - 3:08
12. ROOSTER WALK - 4:06
13. ROCKING MY LIFE AWAY - 5:27
Players
Johnny Hoy - vocals, harmonica
Jeremy Berlin - piano, organ, accordion, background vocals, percussion (11)
Barbara Puciul Hoy - bass (except 4), vocals, percussion (8)
Tauras Biskis - drums
Slim Bob Berosh - guitar (except 13)
guests
Troy Gonyea - guitar (2, 5)
Buck Shank - guitar (13)
Bruce Millard - mandolin (9)
Claudia Mogel - violin (8, 9)
Tony Garnier - bass (4)
Don "Psycho-Picker" Groover - acoustic guitar, banjo (8)
Charlie Esposito - background vocals
David Sholl - tenor and baritone sax (10)
Geoff Pattison - pedal steel (4)