Nublues - Dreams Of a Blues Man (2004)

Nu Blues are a refreshing crew that are trying something a little different is today's homogenized music world. Nu Blues was a term first coined to describe a more avant garde and turbulent type of blues music and Nu Blues have taken this term for their name as it represents what they are doing - fusing old blues with Hip Hop and other contemporary influences. The result is on a more acoustic tip, but also features rapping and scratching.
The Colchester based band is made up from four core members: Ramon Goose, Ed Vans, Jay Nicholls and Gary (Licious) Leech, all of whom bring different talents to the table. Kevin Wells is an occasional performer as is DJ Sense Ear T, but both feature on the majority of the tracks is some way. Ramon Goose appears to be the main player in the band, he's the guitarist and is well used to playing out with over 1000 gigs under his belt. He is also the groups producer and for this project was in charge of the mixdown. Ed Vans is the bassist and Kevin Wells blows the harmonica. Jay Nichols is the main vocalist and comes from a long tradition of blues singers. Gary Licious is the drummer, sequencer and sampler wizard and brings much of the Hip Hop feel to the beats.
Earlier in 2002 they dropped a mini-album and now the group have put together their 9 track debut album. This may seem a touch short when compared to the 21 track tombs issued these days, but I'd rather a solid release rather than a CD full of filler material. Dreams Of A Blues Man pays homage to the forefathers and people who know better than me have lauded this release as being both authentic to the Mississippi delta blues and sympathetically updating the sound to make it relevant to a new generation.
Across the LP the musicianship is impeccable and the opening track Swamp Thing is a real foot stomper. The guitar lick is Blues to the core, but the beat is beefed up and the whole thing moves along guided by the singing of Jay who really can sound like the real deal, like he has been living in a shack by the banks of the Mississippi. Mississipi Rising adds a touch more bass to the mix but continues a pace. NuBlues really live up to their title and on this there is everything. Rapping makes a first appearance and the chorus sounds real poppy with the vocal chords. There is a healthy amount of steel guitar and somehow the group get it to all sit together in the mix. This is definitely very well mixed.
Blues Man On The Run opens with some real thoughtful guitar before it gets going on its six minute journey, the music reflecting the lyrics. The title track Dreams Of A Blues Man is more downbeat and less urgent. Possibly it has more of an authentic Blues sound rather than the hybrid tracks earlier in the sequence. It is heartfelt and emotional stuff. Unlike much Hip Hop so much emotion is conveyed by the instruments and they add so much to the tacks. Conversation Breakdown is this way, and if you took the lyrics away you would still be right there feeling your emotions come to the surface. Contradiction has a touch of Bryan Adams about it. You see, influences are culled from all over. Being such a mish mash of styles it is hard to tell whether this will appeal to a wide cross section of listeners or whether they'll be alienated. I think that if you give this a chance there will be something you can latch on to, just you have to be quite open as this is a new sound.
Memories Of A Good Time as you could expect is real painful and down tempo, whereas Missy Dee picks it up a bit and even starts off with a sampled gramophone crackle. The LP rounds off with Hold Over Me which again demonstrates the skill of Ramon on the guitar for a very striped down finale. The Blues undeniably is the predominant influence on the albu, but that is far from being the only sound coming through and most listeners could find something in this.
The design of the CD cover is a touch abstract - featuring the rear end of a Thunderbird in what could be some desert in the US. I suppose for the genre it could fit, but doesn't have a great deal of impact. Inside the booklet the layout is simplistic, but straight forward and informative featuring photography from Matt Crossick.
Nu Blues have played at blues festivals and have rightly been recognised for their live talent. With a core of Folk and Blues fans they are now set to take their sound to a wider audience. Recently Nu Blues have appeared on BBC Radio (104.6, 103.9 & 95.5FM) for a live interview and performance of tracks from their album. If you are open to a varied musical experience give this a spin, you might just dig it.