For a guy that's now in his '70s and with nearly 30 solo albums under his belt, blues guitarist Walter Trout certainly doesn't sound like a guy resting on his laurels and wanting to just collect a paycheck here on his latest release Ordinary Madness. With a life and career filled with highs and tremendous lows (he's been sober now for over 30 years and survived a recent liver transplant) Trout sounds like a 20 year old hungry for his chance in the spotlight, his vocals and guitar never sounding better alongside his stellar band that includes Michael Leasure (drums), Johnny Griparic (bass), and Teddy 'Zig Zag' Andreadis (keyboards). Ordinary Madness (Provogue/Mascot Music) contains eleven new Trout originals that range from blistering uptempo blues rockers, rootsy country, to simmering, haunting slow blues.
The opening title track is near 7-minutes of harrowing slow blues, Trout's vocals getting to your inner core while the extended guitar solo might be the most intense thing you've heard since Robin Trower's "Bridge of Sighs" way back in the early '70s. "Wanna Dance" kicks up the tempo a bit, but also impresses with some memorable hooks and more of those tasty solos. The more country styled "My Foolish Pride" contains plenty of emotion, gentle piano supporting Trout's pained vocal (GREAT melodies!) and heart tugging solo, while "Heartland" wouldn't have sounded out of place on an old Allman Brothers Band or Tom Petty album with its layers of acoustic & electric guitar, organ, and classy guitar solos. Trout digs deep for another round of gutsy slow blues on "All Out of Tears", his solos absolutely monstrous with a killer tone on his Fender Stratocaster, while "Final Curtain Call" is rough and raucous barroom blues & boogie, Trout's guitar battling it out with raging harmonica. "Heaven in Your Eyes" is a moody rocker with another ferocious solo and catchy hooks, followed by the haunting "The Sun is Going Down", which contains a solo that will send a chill up and down your spine, before the whole band break out into an uptempo, fiery jam to close things out. "Make it Right" is a must hear for fans of Stevie Ray Vaughan's classic shuffles, "Up Above My Sky" floats along dreamily in a psychedelic haze thanks to some fantastic electric piano and Trout's effects laden chord voicing, and "OK Boomer" closes things out in wild fashion, a heavy blues rock number chock full of meaty riffs, organ, and Trout singing "I'm a Boomer, and I'm OK!". Great way to end this fine album.
While there are always plenty of fine blues albums to choose from these days, Ordinary Madness is extra special and could very well be one of the finest of Walter Trout's long illustrious career. Great vocals, AMAZING guitar playing, and lots of variety from song to song make this a must hear album for 2020.
Track Listing
- Ordinary Madness
- Wanna Dance
- My Foolish Pride
- Heartland
- All Out Of Tears
- Final Curtain Call
- Heaven In Your Eyes
- The Sun Is Going Down
- Make It Right
- Up Above My Sky
- OK Boomer
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