The Barney-Adams Blues Attitude Live!
The Barney-Adams Blues Attitude
Blues Attitude Recordings
1999
11 tracks
The core of Barney-Adams Blues Attitude is the duo of Gary "Doc" Adams and Gord "Barney" Barnes, who write original songs for the group and bring their distinctive vocals to the mix. Their band fills the stage with a steady rocking sound that's pretty typical of Ontario regional blues bands. The playing is competent and the blues rock out with proven audience pleasers. This is not the stuff that makes hit records but it's definitely music that will fill the local bar with fans.
In Ontario, the blues is a phenomenon. Every town of any size at all is home to at least one blues band popular enough to play the local bars on a regular basis. Competent enough to become local or even regional favourites, most of these bands never break out to reach a wider audience. I'm not sure there are any statistics available, but it may be that this Canadian province has more blues bands than do many American states.
Within that context, Barney-Adams Blues Attitude brings a vitality to the music that should place them among the top ranks of these local Ontario bands. Listening to this live recording, I imagine that sitting with a cold beer and a few friends listening to this band through the inevitable haze of barroom smoke would make for an enjoyable evening out.
This is a live performance recorded in an old town hall and brings with it the expected selection of production issues. The sound is often muggy and lacking in a sharpness that would bring the individual instruments into focus. At times the mix sounds a little off, but only a little at that. There are other aural anomalies here and there. This is not a bad thing, just a fact of life. In fact, this is how I expect a live recording should sound, especially if it's a recording of the blues or of rock and roll.
The two lead vocalists have quite different styles. All but three songs are carried by Adams, who puts on a raw ersatz whiskey performance. It often sounds like he's trying too hard to put some grit into his voice. "House is Rockin'" shows a different side of this vocalist, pure energy without the attempt to have a "bluesy" sound. The next song in the set, "Cincinnati Jail" brings another side to the fore as he pulls back and just sings the song in what must be his true voice. The sound here is great, still raw but natural and gutsy. Barnes, on the other hand, has a sweet voice perhaps better suited to R&B, yet it works well on the three lead vocals he sings on this recording.
Where these two shine, though, is on their respective instruments. This recording features some very good and sometimes innovative guitar work by Adams, and Barnes is exceptional on blues harp. Supported by a solid rhythm section (Alex Paris and Nelson Poirier) plus guest keys by Terry Blankley, these musicians put on what sounds like a rocking good live show.
As independent recordings go, Barney-Adams Blues Attitude Live! is a respectable effort. The band's regional fans should welcome this release into their private collections. Blues fans everywhere else will find in this recording an excellent representation of the state of contemporary regional blues in Ontario.
For more information on Barney-Adams Blues Attitude, their current lineup of musicians, or where you can hear them perform live, visit their Official Website.
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