Seth Rosenbloom-As The Crow Flies
Seth Rosenbloom; takes to the air, As The Crow Flies
Seth Rosenbloom is back with another fantastic album, his second, full album following on from his 2019 release, Keep On Turning. A 9 track album, with songs from Seth, his backing vocalist Sonya Rae Taylor, and a few others as listed below. The collection grips from start to finish, there are no loose feathers flying around, this is one crow flight that rides high on the thermals throughout its journey.
The title track, written by Tony Joe White, claws you with talons that do not let go. ‘As The Crow Flies’, opens with slide guitar, then the bombastic heavy bass drum pumps in, before the band lifts off. A thumping good rhythm, Seth’s heavily smoked vocals fill in the score, before he gets busy on a seismic guitar solo. That’s it there’s now way your about to flip albums.
Rolling thunder rhythm hauls you into, the torn relationship of, ‘Did You Try To Break My Heart’. No lightweight, the rhythm demands your attention, but the guitar solo has you flying high, but she’s walked away, keeping you grounded in that dark underscore.
Its seems in my mind that Rosenbloom’s guitar play sits very much in the Eric Gale’s camp, his finger work is astounding, if your going to throw a hat into someone’s camp, then Gale’s seems eminently suitable for this Crow to lad in.
David Porter and Isaac Hayes conjured up the score for the soulful, string backed, ‘You Can’t Trust Your Neighbour’, because he’s gonna steel your woman. This is a lovely oasis of cool, until Seth tosses a stone into the water, releasing all that pent up energy for a storming guitar finish.
‘Wish You Could See Me Now’ came from the pens of Ronnie Earl and Darrell Nullish, its insistent metronomic beat, scaffolding the weaving guitar, not my favourite use of rock drum beat, but it does the business for Seth to build on.
Jesse Williams bass underpins the galloping ‘Ain’t Nothing Wrong, he works closely with drummer Mark Telixeira, in uncovering the cooling board of St James Infirmary, ready for Rosenbloom to lay out his bluesy lyrics. Its a gorgeous use of that familiar rhythm that has Bruce Bears adding lovely piano, a fresh blanket to put down a sweet six string riff.
Piano features on the railroading rhythm of, ‘Gotta Roll’, before they pull in to station, and chill to the gorgeous guitar blues of Seth’s closing song, a beautiful if sad, ‘Give Me The Ring Back’. Its a track you want never to end, perfect for that late evening. You might be left on your own, but sit back in the shadows, and loose yourself in the blue smoky atmosphere.
Track Listing;
1 As The Crow Flies
2 Did You Try To Break My Heart
3 Set Me Free
4 Can’t Trust Your Neighbour
5 I Wish You Could See Me Now
6 Aint’ Nothing Wrong
7 Blind Eye
8 Gotta Roll
9 Give Me The Ring Back
http://www.sethrosenbloom.com/
Words by Graham Munn