ANTHONY GOMES-Containment Blues

Up2Zero

Canadian blues rocker Anthony Gomes is back with a new record. Predecessor ‘Peace, Love & Loud Guitars’ was a little gem, a fiery record with exorbitant guitar work, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and lots of ballsy blues rock songs with the raw, whiskey smothered voice of Gomes leading the way. In the past his older records were a bit difficult to get but lately all of his old stuff (and there is plenty of it) has become available again. I was happy with that as I missed some of his records in my collection that is now complete including his latest one ‘Containment Blues’. This record is not as heavy as ‘Peace, Love & Loud Guitars’.

Gomes has chosen for a more traditional blues approach although there are still plenty of steamy moments to be heard like the cracking opener ,,Make A Good Man (Wanna Be Bad)’’ that would have fitted nicely on ‘Peace, Love & Loud Guitars’ (the same goes for ,,Stop Calling Women Hoes And Bitches’’). But this time there is a lot more variation including some acoustic based tracks like the title track that closes of the album and is extremely funny. Imagine having your mother-in-law in your house for eight weeks. No freedom, no sex-life and she uses up all of your toilet paper. Catch my drift guys? In ,,This Broken Heart Of Mine’’ Gomes shines with his emotional singing. A song about a broken love sung straight for the heart as is ,,No Kinda Love’’, a track about a one-sided relationship played in a traditional blues style with a wailing harmonica on the back ground. ,,Until The End Of Time’’ and ,,The Greatest 4 Letter Word’’ are both a warm declaration of love while ,,Tell Somebody’’ is a foot stomping rocker. All in all ‘Containment Blues’ may be different and more traditional in its sound and set up, it is absolutely an impressive piece of work by Anthony Gomes and associates. It has got more variation, it has still enough raunchy moments, it is a bit more sentimental at stages but this bloke knows exactly how to touch his audience, whether he rocks out or by being sensitive. You can feel his honesty and dedication to this genre shining through in every part of his body and soul. This man has got his shit together in more ways than one!  Like blues rock with a sensitive touch? ‘Containment Blues’ is your way to go!