MUSIC REVIEW: ERIK BLUE – Midnight Glow

Label: Mad Bad Muzik

Release Date: April 24, 2020

Rating: 95%

Reviewed by: Todd “Toddstar” Jolicoeur

I love when I get the opportunity to check out something I may not normally listen to, and the newest EP from Erik Blue is something that would not have hit my radar… but I am glad it did.  Disc opener “C Game” has a great groove and vibe woven into its musical DNA, which is true of the rest of the disc as you listen through the seven tracks.  Erik Blue’s lead vocals have a Tom Jones-esque sound to them, without sounding as if he was striving for that end result.  The horn solo at the bridge is cool and helps tie the track together.  This song is a fun track to get into and has some great fret work thrown in to boot as the song works its way to the end.  Title track “Midnight Glow” takes on a 70’s sound, thanks to the blend of horns, synthesizers, and guitars.  The vocals take you back to the poppier side of 70’s rock.  The rhythm section, anchored by bass from Paul Chapman and drums from Keith Carlock keep the track flowing from open to close.  “Green Room Blues” keeps the 70’s blended rock / pop / funk groove alive and has a wall of sound compliments of the background vocals from Blue and Raquel Payne.  As the tracks rolls through the verse and into the verse, listen for some awesome guitar work from Badd Brad Henderson leading into and on the bridge.  Disc closer “Fifty Eight Takes” has the most diverse groove of the seven tracks, but doesn’t deviate from the path cut by the other tunes.  The simple percussion fills that accentuate the track in the background are cool and highlight the sound of the track, as does Rod Mcgaha’s horn contributions.

“Sunset Days” features a killer bass line from Chapman while Henderson’s guitar fret work throughout drives the track.  The vocals are crisp and the layered background vocals add depth to the song.  The sax solo from Don Aliquo is a nice touch that gives the song some punch between verses at the bridge.  This is a cool track to sit back and groove to while sipping something cold on a hot summer evening for sure.  “Officer Karma” has the punchiest bass line opening the track that soon merges with the guitars and provides a perfect foundation for the rest of the track.  Blue’s vocals are the perfect match on this track for the musical accompaniment on this song.  This song seems a little more laid back than others on the EP, but swirls nicely in the mix with the other tracks.  This one benefits from Chris West’s sax playing.  “Lay Your Money Down” has an amazing sound that comes alive from the opening and only gets better as the track plays out.  The layers of guitar work from Badd Brad, Chapman’s bass lines, and Erik’s vocals are the perfect combination from open to close.  I really like Paul’s bass lines that lead into some of the horn work.  Forget trying to place this one into a genre (personally I think iTunes is wrong with the R&B classification); for some cool music that can be the focus or just a background accompaniment for an evening with drinks and friends, pop this one in and just enjoy.  I have labeled this one – FUN and ENJOYABLE!

Tracklisting: C Game – Midnight Glow – Sunset Days – Green Room Blues – Officer Karma – Lay Your Money Down – Fifty Eight Takes

ERIK BLUE LINKS:

OFFICIAL SITE

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

MIDNIGHT GLOW – ITUNES

Category: CD Reviews