Bare Bones Boogie Band

Andy Greenman, www.musicemissions.com, April 2013.

The Bare Bones Boogie Band album Blue is a quality blues album through and through. The lead vocalist (Helen Turner) has a stunning, sultry voice and the feel she puts over is fantastic. Backed by a top notch band this is an album that deserves to be played on repeat.

A highlight of the album for me is the emotion drenched Fallin' For Foolin' with its strong riff lines that drag the listener in from the start.

Mean Old Man takes the band into slightly less traditional chord progressions and brought the old version of Guilty as sung by Bonnie Raitt to mind. An interesting and original song which for me stands out from the rest.

There are highlights throughout this album, if you are a fan of modern blues this is one for you.

Rating: 9/10

Andy Greenman, www.musicemissions.com

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Review by Jon Seymour, Firebrand magazine, UK, February 2013

I’d heard great things about these guys, as a few of my friends on the music circle had seen them live, and were very impressed by them, but I’d never managed to catch them myself. Needless to say, I was really impressed when this album descended and found it’s way to me. Blue is the follow up to the last album Red.

This album is a pure blues album, there’s no other way to describe it, but wow what a blues album it is. One thing that really stands out is Helen’s voice. She really has one of the finest voices I’ve heard in a long time, and not just in the blues scene, I mean anywhere.

The music too is extremely good, and I found it extremely hard to find fault in it. It’s simplistic in approach, and pretty much faultless in execution. It’s a really laid back album too, and you can really hear the roots of the blues in the music throughout it’s entirety.

The production on the album is very minimal, and I imagine that the mixing took a similar approach. The end result is an album that’s as raw as a blue steak. What it does have in abundance though is atmosphere. You can feel everything that’s portrayed through the music, and it’s oh so good to listen to.

This is well worth you checking out, although perhaps the blues was never meant to make you feel this good. It’s simply a stunning album. 9/10.

Jon Seymour, Firebrand magazine, February 2013.

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Review by Rex Bartholomew , Blues Blast Magazine, USA, August 2012

I have the good fortune to listen to blues CDs from all over the world, and this week I had the pleasure of hearing the latest release from London’s Bare Bones Boogie Band. And true to their name, this foursome plays a stripped-down no-nonsense power blues that is held together by their prodigious talent. Vocalist Helen Turner has worked with guitarist (and fellow Scot) Iain Black since 1990, and Trev Turley from Birmingham joined them on bass in 2003. The Bare Bones Boogie Band came together as a whole in 2008 when Andy Jones, a drummer from Manchester, came into the fold. In 2010 they gave us their well-reviewed eponymous debut CD and supported it with endless touring.

This is a review of their second CD, which is also self-titled, but it is being called the Blue CD because the logo is blue, differentiating it from their first release that had a red logo. In their catalog they refer to it as “BBBBCD2.” The Blue CD sounds a bit better, doesn’t it? This album includes ten tracks: eight of which were written by Black, one from Andy Jones, and a touching cover of Robert Johnson's "Love In Vain.” You will find that all of the touring they did has been put to good use, as all four members of the band are in top form for this project.

“Fallin’ for Foolin’” is the first track on this release, and the listener will find that although these four folks came from different parts of the UK, there is no Scottish or English accent or tone to the music, it is just the blues. This is a long and slow song for an opener (almost seven minutes), but it is cleverly-written and well-produced with up front guitar, drums and bass and of course Helen Turner’s vocals. Everybody has a chance to show what they can do on this track, and Helen really stands out: her vocal style is brilliant and shows that she has learned a lot about her craft over the past few decades.

The next two tracks “Midnight O2” and “Sittin’ Here Sewin’” evoke a 1970s blues/rock mood with round and lively bass lines and fat guitar over the tight drumming of Jones. But there is plenty of variety to be found on this album as it segues into a lovely ballad, “Mean Old Man,” which is not a conventional love story. This song shows tremendous restraint on the part of all that were involved, and there is just enough of a contribution from everybody to assemble a really good song, which is a sign of how this band has matured.

One of my favorite tracks on this release is “Wings” which is a fabulous showcase of Helen Turner’s vocal range and the soul she puts into the music. These same qualities carry over to “Love in Vain” which was written by Robert Johnson, but made famous for us mainstream folks by the Rolling Stones. Her sweet voice helps the Bare Bones Boogie Band make this version their own. It appears that there is no shortage of soulful blues ballads on this album, which is a good thing in my book.

After a couple of more blues rock tunes (“A Little Bit More” and “Travellin’ Light”), the band chose to close out the album with the end of the album with “My Man Loves my Van.” This is a fun beer joint 8-bar blues song that shows that the band does not feel like they have to take themselves too seriously. This is a fabulous quality in any band, if you ask me.

The Bare Bones Boogie Band have avoided the sophomore jinx with this CD, and I have to say that I think this work outshines their debut album in every way (by the way, I really like the Red CD). The whole production sounds more full and rich, and each of the artists have grown and improved on their performances since we last heard from them. This is helped along by the fact that the songwriting is much more consistent throughout this release. This is a great CD, and I highly recommend that you check it out when you get a chance.

Rex Bartholemew, www.thebluesblast.com

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Review by Josh May, Blues Rock Review, USA, May 2012

With their second album, London’s Bare Bones Boogie Band have produced a raw, undiluted blues album that has all the right elements of poignant, disheartening love songs, tight and effortless execution, and one extraordinary voice. The band (Helen Turner on lead vocals, Iain Black on guitar, Trev Turley on bass, and Andy Jones on Drums) have only been around for a few years now, but Blue is damn near flawless in its soulful blues.

Much of the bands brilliance is carried through the talent of Helen Turner’s vocals. She has a great range and a gorgeous, sultry voice most evident in their rendition of the Rolling Stones’ song “Love In Vain,” and in the track “Wings,” in which her voice soars all over the place. She certainly steals the show throughout the record. However this is not to take anything away from the band around her; many of the tracks are beautifully crafted, bitter love songs that are very emotive in the musical tone and through the vocals; “Fallin’ For The Foolin’’ and “Mean Old Man” are perfect examples of the wonderful blues love songs that they perform brilliantly. The music playing is exemplary throughout with some tight rhythm playing between the drums and bass, and some wonderfully subtle riffs played by guitarist Iain Black in the slightly more upbeat, rocky tracks “Second Hand Hand-Me Down” and “Sittin’ Here Sewin’’ that are very effective to the songs. Every track on this album is a delight to listen to; the soulfulness and striking blues that is implemented here is outstanding.

Bare Bones Boogie Band will be almost certainly a crowd pleaser in live performances perhaps just on how hypnotizing Turner’s voice is, but as a whole the music is excellent and there isn’t an element of this record to dislike. Bare Bones Boogie Band’s Blue is an album to highly recommend to any blues enthusiast.

9/10

Josh May, www.bluesrockreview.com 

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Review by Roger Allen, FanzEyeView fanzine, March 2012:

BBBB return with their second release and it was worth the wait. A more consistent set of songs than on the first release, everyone seems more at ease recording the ten tracks on offer here.
Comfortable in their seventies rock/blues vibe, the band take us on a journey with some lovely guitar riffs, solid rhythms from Andy and Trev and the quite awesome vocals, that had me reminiscing of my older vinyl albums. Iain judging by the songs on here is influenced by the sound of Free, Kossoff inspired on the opener ‘Fallin’For Foolin’ and ‘A Little Bit More’ His song-writing is getting stronger and consistent with gems like ‘Wings’ and ‘Midnight O2’. Helen's vocals are well known to the UK blues public, always a joy to hear her live, on here she excels with some wonderful vocal phrasing and power controlled to perfection especially on ‘Siitin’ Here Sewin’ and the slow blues of ‘Mean Old Man’. The cover of R Johnson’s ‘Love In Vain’ is a great band performance, while ‘Second-Hand Hand-Me-Down’ see’s the band in boogie mode, while ‘My Man Loves My Van’ finishes off a really corking listen of the CD.
Helen has often been compared to Maggie Bell, no mean comparison that, but I hear snippets of early Elkie Brooks and Lulu in there.
BBBB Blue is getting very positive reviews and rightly so, this CD should see their star rising in the UK and Europe and I look forward to catching up with them again on the road somewhere soon.

Roger Allen, www.fanzeyview.com

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Review by Bob Jones, Blues In Britain magazine, February 2012:

This powerful four-piece has been together for three years. Iain Black leads on guitar and does most of the writing. Trev Turley and Andy Jones thunder away in the background on bass and drums.
The star is singer Helen Turner. She sounds like late eighties Maggie Bell. She references other styles too but Maggie is whom you think of. Helen has her own schtick, which is sometimes grating, often smooth, always soulful voice, capabale of great subtlety as well as shattering power. It takes a few tracks before you suddenly notice what a superb band she has..., [which] particularly Andy's only offering, "Sitting Here Sewing", are lovely. The playing is forceful and cleverly constructed, good writing. Iain must be a singer too, no mere picker writes as dynamically and originally as that. Did I mention the wonderful singing? If the opener, "Falling For Fooling", doesn't get your G-spot throbbing, play it again until it does! Rating: 8.

Bob Jones, Blues in Britain, www.bluesinbritain.org 

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Review by Henry Yates, Classic Rock magazine, February 2012:

Labels and album titles still elude them, but on release #2, the BBBB are getting handy in the study, with Iain Black's original material like Midnight 02 setting up Helen Turner to sandblast her brilliant vocals all over it. They've always been the sound of a great night out, but you don't need beer goggles to enjoy this one.

Henry Yates, Classic Rock, www.classicrockmagazine.com

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Review By Frank Leigh, Blues Matters! magazine, January 2012:

Ah, at last the second album from this fabulous quartet of Helen – of the raucous voice, Iain – of the riffy/driving guitar, Trev - of the solid bass lines and Andy - no mean side kick on the skins. After their great debut album this most certainly takes a step forward and will enhance their reputation. This disc shows better productions and sound use (the first was a little flat on dynamics somehow though still a superb debut). There’s more variety here on the menu too. ‘Fallin’ For Foolin’’ eases you in with slow riffs then Helen’s sultry tones implore you to get in deeper and hold your attention while Iain spreads the chords on the bottom layer of rhythm and Helen provides the rich topping yes indeed this could well be the recipe for their success. Subtle guitar lines weave over the easy rhythm and you get a full 6.55 for an opener, you guessed, I’m hooked! …and there’s nine more tracks to go! ‘Mean old Man’ finds Helen in gentle mood vocally and there is some lovely playing from Iain on this easy number. She seems to have enjoyed the mellow and continues the vein on the very next track ‘Wings’ which winds up towards the end. But brace yourselves coz the boogie comes back on ‘Second-Hand Hand-Me-Down’ but in an easy way. The more I listen the more I hear Stone The Crows but different, and that is meant as a compliment as if there ever was a band that deserved to be huge it was STC. Wouldn’t it be amazing to see Maggie Bell get on stage with BBBB and hear the girls together. This album sees another Stones’ song covered in ‘Love In Vain’ which features highly charged vocal over relaxed guitar. ‘Travellin’ Light’ pumps up somewhat as the penultimate rendition and the album closes with the cheekily titled ‘My Man Love My Van’ to complete a joyful hearing of a damn good follow up album (often the hardest one to do) that should see the band move up another notch or two or more……”

Frank Leigh, Blues Matters!, www.bluesmatters.com

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Review By John Vermilyea, Blues Underground Network, January 2012:

The Bare Bones Boogie Band's release "BBBBCD2" is my second introduction to their amazing music. Their debut release caught my attention and caught it fast, of which I wrote in my review of it, "When I first listened to this Album, it was not long in before I came to the realization that this one was something really special. After I listened to it again I realized that I was not only listening to something very special but something very rare, especially in today’s over cluttered blah blah music scene, in fact I can very honestly say that not only was this album the best I have heard so far in 2010, it is simply the best I have heard, in many years." Not only did I give that Album a 5***** Rating, I also picked it as Best UK Blues Album in my 2010 Year End Review and placed it at #5 on my Top Ten Albums List for 2010, as well.
Simply called "BBBBCD2", this album was released January 1, 2012, almost 2 years to the date of their debut release, and really the only noticeable difference, at least externally, is that the coloring of the bands name is blue instead of red as with their first album. Internally though, it is still all there. Great Rock, Blues, and Boogie performed via the stellar lineup of Helen Turner (vocals), Iain Black (guitar), Trev Turley (bass), and Andy Jones (drums), the exact same lineup as their debut album, which I was really glad to see. The Bare Bones Boogie Band was formed in London in October 2008.
"BBBBCD2" consists of 10 Tracks of which 8 are originals written by Iain Black, 1 original written by Andy Jones, and 1 cover of Robert Johnson's "Love Is Vain". The Tracks from what I can remember from the first album, seemed to be a little slower in tempo, but certainly no less enjoyable to listen to, as they seem to have more fullness and maturity to them, which probably comes from the fact that the band has yet grown together for another 2 years, instrumentally and lyrically. Their sound, which continues to grow in leaps and bounds, I would best describe as a cross between a ballad-driven Rolling Stones and a vocal-driven Jefferson Airplane, especially with the amazing, second-to-none vocals of Helen Turner. The Bare Bones Boogie Band have managed to shake off all the excess baggage, that too many modern days bands don't quite know how to do yet, and in doing so they expose themselves to a more honest and creative sound, similar to a lot of the great Blues and Rock bands of the early 70's.
As far as picking a few favorites, which is not an easy task on such an intensely rich and full album as "BBBBCD2", there were, however, a few that stood out for more me just slightly more than the others. Track 1 "Fallin' For Foolin'", which is the opening track, caught my attention for various reasons, but in the end it was how everyone seemed to come together perfectly on that song, with everyone getting in on the act and showing off their wares, especially Trev Turley's big bass beat, something that he carries over onto the next 2 tracks, even more so. My next favorite was track 7 "Love Is Vain", a performance that would silence any doubters about the vocal prowess of Helen Turner. Done a little slower than the Stones version, this version is no less powerful, especially from the middle part onwards, where Helen lets her vocals fly. The next track "A Little Bit More" caught my attention right away with the first few opening chords which reminded me a lot of Jethro Tull's "The Teacher". Again beautiful vocals and exceptional musicianship from the other members of the band which permeate this track, as they do throughout "BBBBCD2".
With "BBBBCD2", the Bare Bones Boogie Band have certainly not fallen victim to the sophomore jinx, as they have managed to put out an album that is equal to, if not better than their debut. "BBBBCD2" shows that they all had an intense desire to let it be known that they have matured and grown as a band, lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally, and they certainly have. "BBBBCD1" was certainly the icing on the cake, but "BBBBCD2" has the richness of the batter that ultimately wins over.
"BBBBCD2" is a wonderful second album from a band, who is doing a wonderful service in making sounds that keep our hopes alive for the future of the music industry, as one of there still young stars.
5*****... Highly recommended and thoroughly enjoyed...

John Vermilyea, Blues Underground Network, www.bluesundergroundnetwork.com

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Review by Nathan Nörgel, Wasser Prawda Magazine, January 2012:

The Bare Bones Boogie Band second self-titled album will improve the reputation of this London-based quartet still further. Freed from all superfluous fat, no frills, no unnecessary decoration, just powerful blues-rock, played straight. Helen Turner could easily challenge to be the next Janis Joplin or Etta James: every emotion is conveyed to the listener with the same impact with which it was originally felt. The songs reveal a love of British blues-rock from the 60s and early 70s, with focus on emotion rather than superficial gimmicks. Even for non-blues fans, the Bare Bones Boogie Band’s "Blue Album" is simply a wonderful rock record.

Nathan Nörgel, Wasser Prawda Magazine, www.wasser-prawda.de
 
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