Artist: Blues Conscience
Album: Down & Dirty
Release Date: May 24th, 2013
Mixed and Mastered by: Ed DeGenaro
Label: Independent
Barney Stinson said, “Suit up, bro!” and this Chennai based quartet did exactly that. Started in 2008, Blues Conscience was formed with the intention of bring blues into the spotlight in today’s rock and metal favouring audience. With all time greats like B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf as their musical influences, there’s not much scope for them to go wrong.
Blues Conscience are – Anek Ahuja (Vocals, Bass), Aum Janakiram (Vocals, Guitars), Neil Smith (Drums) and Sid Kumar (Keys).
Their 56 minute debut album, ‘Down & Dirty’, had me hooked since I first saw the name, and I simply HAD to listen to it! Packed with 14 songs and with a host of artists featuring in different tracks, the entire album presents a diverse musical collection which one wouldn’t normally expect from a blues band. Then again, these guys love to jam. Starting off with ‘Like What Music You Got’, featuring DJ Dean, this foot-tapping number with good clean vocals is classic blues, with full on sax blaring; the scratches provided by DJ Dean lend a whole new twist to this one. ‘Blues Santa’, about spreading Christmas cheer in the community, is another peppy track which thrills me with the background choir music. The lyrics also get me interested (“Don’t buy her a diamond ring; spend some money to make them sing”). The third track is ‘Closer’, a lovely romantic number, with Indian vocals in the background. Ujjayinee Roy, the guest vocalist, has a lovely dreamy voice I would love to lose myself in. The lyrics are amazing too (“I’ll be there, everyday, When you’re flying high like a kite, I’ll be the one right by your side”). ‘Tipalo’ has some nice guitar work, along with percussions. At number 5, ‘Dreamland’ is the first instrumental track of the album; it’s the kind of relaxed song I would expect at a beach party. ‘Morning After’ is fun and lively, with some good guitar work. The lyrics are awesome too, and DJ Dean is back with his signature scratches; I especially love the instruments in this track. Halfway down the list, we have ‘Perfectly Reasonable Girl’, a romantic number in every sense of the word; refreshingly cheesy, melty and warm lyrics (“You got the groove, woman, I’m loving your lips, I’m loving you more and more with every kiss”) make me go “awwwww”! This is almost my pick of the album, but not quite. Next up is ‘No Life Without The Blues’, featuring Ed Degenaro, Siddharth Srinivasan, and Nipun Nair. This is a straight up blues track, with soulful vocals and astounding guitar work, and it’s my pick of the album. ‘Looking For A Girl’ is a simple song, with a country feel to it; foot-tapping music and lyrics make it extremely enjoyable to listen to. At Number 10 we have ‘Obama’, where “the only way to make her stay is if Barack Obama comes with me”! ‘Janis’ is awesome, with its unusual lyrics and blues beats. And with that, we come to the 3 songs with the best names I’ve ever seen. ‘Five Naked Virgins’ starts off in true blues style with drums and keys. Boasting of more amazing guitar work, this instrumental track is another one that almost became my pick of the album. The second last track, ‘Shagging My Dog’, is a total scream; the guys were obviously having a good time when they performed it! The final track is, ahem, ‘Kamasutra’! Seriously, hats off to Blues Conscience for the innovative names! Another straight up blues track, this one makes me groove and shake!
With clean vocals and a good variety of music, this album is a must listen. There are virtually no slips, and each track offers something new to the ears and soul. Bottom line, if you’re going for a long drive, play ‘Down & Dirty’ and enjoy. Oh, and call me too :P.
