• NEWS
  • REVIEWS
  • INTERVIEWS
  • EVENTS
  • VIDEOS

Subscribe to Updates

Get the latest creative news from Blues Scene about music & art.

Barbara Blue Is a Piece of Work, A Very Talented One

January 30, 2023

IBC 2023 Winners Announced

January 29, 2023

The Burney Sisters: Americana Trio from Columbia, Missouri Ready to Set Sail on Cayamo Cruise

January 27, 2023

Dani Wilde Premieres Video for Nostalgic New Single ‘I Miss The World’

January 27, 2023
Facebook Twitter Instagram
Facebook Twitter Instagram Vimeo
American Blues SceneAmerican Blues Scene
  • NEWS
  • REVIEWS
  • INTERVIEWS
  • EVENTS
  • VIDEOS
American Blues SceneAmerican Blues Scene
Home»News»Colin James Has ‘Miles To Go’
News

Colin James Has ‘Miles To Go’

Steven OvadiaBy Steven OvadiaOctober 29, 2018Updated:April 10, 2020No Comments3 Mins Read
Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email VKontakte WhatsApp
Colin James Live feature by James Omara
Share
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Email

Colin-James-Miles-to-Go-Hi-Res-CoverThe blues is a dynamic art form, always changing and evolving, but also very much tethered to its past. If you stray too far from the history of the blues, the music becomes something else, be it rock or metal or some form we’ve yet to name. The weight of the blues genre can be challenging for an artist to navigate. Which is why you have to tip your hat to singer/guitarist Colin James, who covers some beloved blues numbers on Miles to Go, his 19th album. He doesn’t give himself an easy task.

James had an interesting path to the blues, starting with rock and swing before finally getting to record his beloved blues in 1997. He’s kept his hands in all of those genres, but Miles to Go is the second of a two-part blues cover project he began with 2016’s successful Blues Highways.

Miles to Go‘s best moment is James’ cover of Muddy Waters’ “Still a Fool.” James keeps the shockingly contemporary riff of the original but plays it over a funky groove. He throws in some Hendrix guitar and suddenly it sounds like a new song. It would, of course, be sacrilege, to ever even think someone had done better than Waters, but it’s safe to say James found a compelling take on an old favorite.

Another nice moment is “I Need Your Love So Bad,” a smooth, slow blues with some tasteful guitar work. Jesse O’Brien provides some beautiful organ and piano while James croons, the song flirting with jazz but remaining solidly bluesy. A strong horn section, perhaps a vestige of James’ swing work, strategically lifts the song, creating a solid, lovely track.

James is a laid-back, comfortable performer, but that style doesn’t work for all of the tracks. James sometimes smooths over the more overt emotion of the originals. For instance, his cover of Blind Willie Johnson’s “Soul of a Man” reimagines the song as more of an acoustic pop number and while it’s catchy, it lacks the spectral intensity of Johnson’s original, which feels like it’s coming to you through a Ouija board.

James deserves a lot of credit for tackling sacred tunes. One has the sense that while part of the reason is to share his interpretations of these beloved songs, another reason is to send fans back to the originals. It makes sense that James, someone from western Canada, would have a different take on songs written by men from the American south. Despite the differences in time and geography, James still finds some nice moments.

Artist: Colin James

Title: Miles to Go

Label: Stony Plain Records

Release Date: September 21st, 2018

Running Time: 43:23

*Feature image James Omara

Colin James Miles To Go Stony Plain Records
Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email WhatsApp
Previous ArticleSwamp Rocker Tony Joe White Dead at 75
Next Article Video Premiere: Sandy Carroll “Love Is a Wonderful Thing”
Steven Ovadia

Related Posts

IBC 2023 Winners Announced

January 29, 2023

Listen: Colemine Records to Posthumously Release Fred Davis LP, ‘Cleveland Blues’

January 26, 2023

Savoy Brown to Release ‘Blues All Around’ After the Passing of Legendary Founder

January 24, 2023

The Nighthawks Share First Single ‘Don’t Know Where She Went’ From New EP

January 20, 2023

Comments are closed.

Advertisment
Facebook Twitter Instagram Pinterest
  • Home
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Interviews
  • Events
  • Videos
  • About

Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.