Harlis Sweetwater Band - Put It In Dirt (2014)

On stage, Harlis Sweetwater has enough presence to entice an audience for hours. It’s pretty much the same on a record and "Put It In Dirt" is no different. The blues man from California has lived in a world of music all his life, playing with countless great acts and carving his own name on the blues rock vine.
The opener “Goin’ Up The Mountain” is an electric blues tune, bursting with energy and fronted by that well known gruff-tone Sweetwater voice. The band was formed in 2012 with the purpose of making some truly engaging blues music. It’s a good start.
“Anna Lee” tones it down. It’s almost a blues ballad that’s been ripped straight out of the ’60s, horn section and all. Sweetwater certainly has a beast of a vocal box, but his ability to also produce a soulful melody really benefits the dynamic of the album.
As a whole, this album would sit as a high-energy mash up of soulful electric blues. It plays like a live show and shows the experience behind the band. It’s a tight, well thought out album worthy of listen.