I find it interesting when I hear an artist and they remind me of someone else. But, what’s most impressive is when I hear that “someone else” in their style but there’s something about their interpretation that elevates the material to the point where they aren’t imitating or emulating a sound or artist at all – they are actually improving upon it in their own creative, original and ingenious way.
King Leo – is one such group of musicians. (Not to be confused with the American rap band of the same name). With their first cut on their album “Revival,” singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and tin sandwich (harmonica) player Leo LaDell – is a relocated blues musician originally from Virginia (USA) and now prowls New Zealand musically. He lays down a cool, jazzy blues foundation throughout his album and looks like a 1950’s bohemian, beat-generation poet. On “Leave Me Behind,” Leo structures a brilliant vocal crossover blend of David Clayton Thomas (Blood, Sweat & Tears) with the bluesy Kim Wilson (Fabulous Thunderbirds).
Jim Strang’s continuous drum rolling and jazzy hi-hat work is a pleasant percussive surprise. Economical tenor and baritone saxes by Stevie Rice, and trumpet by Ralph Miller are understated but absorbing. It all comes off “hot,” despite the spare brass showcase. There is no trombone or clarinets to fill out the brassiness etc…but, that hardly renders this band anemic. They are full throttle 95% of the time.
The first tune segues smoothly into “It’ll Be All Right,” — available below as a full song sample from their website — and is an absolutely wonderful New Zealand blues tune with a rousing harmonica by Leo. The vocals are blues infused to perfection. Sharp snare punctuation sews up the tune delightfully.
The album continues in a seasoned retro style but digs even deeper into a 50’s soul oriented genre with “Heaven’s Right Here.” Leo sings in a rich doo-wop style, which is based in the blues, and the entire band is fueled and combustible. The sax blows in a fiery fashion with first class musical support. The guitar, while being sprinkled sweetly for a 50’s sweet tooth has a slight grunge to it and it’s just enough to set King Leo aside from comparisons to another era. It’s “crazy nice” man and has just enough piss and vinegar to render this one – excellent.
Leo’s voice is more middle-of-the-road mature on “Back It Off,” and he’s supported admirably by a Tony Mottola-Les Paul hat tip. That is, until the deeper notes push in with a shuffle on drums and a switch to a Hawaiian-flavored guitar style coupled by the deeper note surf guitar suggests Duane Eddy. Real nice guitar interchange with conflicting styles that actually work. This song is clever to say the least. Pedal steel and back-up vocal by John Egenes lends a nice touch.
From these songs we return to the blues and it’s a well-balanced Stax-Muscle Shoals type arrangement. Again, a deep blusey retro guitar punctuates the melody with a churchy Hammond organ that bellows under the surface. It’s bass heavy (Vernon Sawers) and has tight brass that accentuates the musical canvass ala James Brown. Done with lots of finesse. If the audience is a soulful bunch of fish then King Leo has hooked them by now and they’re in the boat. Blues enthusiasts won’t be able to turn away from this tasty presentation. It’s all done with expertise and no flash – nothing over worked or top heavy. The entire performance is balanced and these musicians from New Zealand are formidable.
The next track features female vocalist Liv McBride – who sings soulfully with Leo on “Got To Have It,” and this is like revisting vocally the artistry of 60’s duets with Brook Benton and Dinah Washington, Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell, and Liv has that Mary Wells’ (“My Guy”), richness that accompanies Leo so excellently.
Just when you thought the album was going to wallow in soul and middle-of-the-road excursions Leo smartly opens up with a rocker – “Wonderful,” and it is “wonderful.” It’s an old-fashion foot stomper with varied guitars that shimmer. The sax / guitar work is inventive and the highlight of this song. Leo sings well but he obviously is allowing his musicians to step up forward on this. The singing sounds reminicent of both Leon Russell with the power of the more melodic career Captain Beefheart (Don Van Vliet). This is a tour-de-force tune and it’s like a perfectly cooked burger with all the fixings. Not rare, not medium, not even well-done – just juicy. Yeah, that’s it – juicy.
The next track is in a Huey Lewis and the News tradition which is not a bad thing. Lewis always had an interesting vocal approach. “Break the Habit,” has energy and Leo has that commanding, articulate suggestive vocal that works the gears of the lyric as his harmonica smokes and the guitars snake their way through each other in some type of ritual. It all comes off with an air of voodoo/hoodoo and this harmonica would make Paul Butterfield smile. This tune is Paul Butterfield Blues Band worthy circa 1966. It’s a splendid workout that you don’t hear very often today.
“Hot Coals,” didn’t knock my socks off but, it’s little dirtier in arrangement approach with its descending horns and sounding very Bar-Kays (“Soul Finger”) and Arthur Conley (“Sweet Soul Music”), in nature. A flexing of a muscle. A deep baritone sax solo surprised my ear with its tug boat honking, moaning stride. Quite interesting. This is another track that oozes a very stylistic approach to retro blues by way of a little vanilla swing. The piano slinks under the basic tune with deep Godzilla notes — I liked this — and it’s like thick glue that oozes from under craft paper and onto the table.
Up next is a novelty song so to speak – “Lunch Date,” – you can hear that these people are proficient musicians. Leo comes off like a reborn Cab Calloway on this song – Zoot suit and all. The tune does swing and you can easily dance to it. Probably the most commercially-oriented song on the album and it’s excellently recorded with great speaker separation. To my ears however, this is not in the same realm of quality as all the previous songs. But – that’s to be expected. You can’t have an album filled with masterpieces throughout.
The last song is an instrumental closer. Blaring harmonica, laid-back but consistent instrumentation. Some music just doesn’t need words to convey a strong meaning. This is a nice slice of capable playing as a send-off until the next time King Leo visits and it has just enough sugar to make one want more.
The album was produced in New Zealand by John Egenes and the album cover art was privided by Manu Berry.
Website Sample: “It’ll Be All Right” – http://www.kingleo.co.nz/pages/12/media-player
Website: http://www.kingleo.co.nz/
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/King-Leo-43933501807/
Photography: See above
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review / commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as reference and will be removed on request.
John Apice / No Depression / December 2015