Laura Rain and the Caesars are a soul and blues band working in and around Detroit. At their core are husband and wife team – guitarist George Friend and vocalist Laura Rain. Last year the band won their first Detroit Music Award for “Outstanding Blues Songwriters” and listening to this new 12 track long player you can hear what convinced that judging panel –a contemporary take on classic urban blues with an undertow of funk and a garnish of vintage R&B.
The album’s title track sums up where this outfit are coming from. ‘Walk With Me’ is an energized blues romp with a Northern soul feel to it. There’s a big chorus, biting blues guitar, hard hitting beats and some lovely parping brass. Topped by Laura’s convincing and committed vocal, you’ll hear why the album was named for this cut.
‘Don’t Lose Your Way’ offers more of the same. This reminded me of those great 60s Little Milton Chess tunes while ‘Learned the Hard Way’ brought to my mind the Stax blues of Albert King. ‘Cake’ is a slower blues with a peculiar mannered vocal from Laura. Her peculiar delivery here ad throughout gives the album a very special feel… very different to anything else out there right now.
Amongst the other noteworthy tunes are ‘In My Life’ and the catchy ‘Pleasure Zone’ that should please fans of the Daptone sound. Indeed the whole Daptone thing is a good reference point for the sound of the Caesars. Like the Daptone crew, George and Laura recorded the album in analogue (at Magnetic Recording in Pontiac Michigan to be precise) and it does make a difference.
if you enjoy that special difference you can learn more @ www.laurarain.net
(BB) 4/5
