Alberta & The Dead Eyes - You Said Something (2021)

Dave Boone’s work as Alberta has spanned many years and artistic iterations. When he first gathered the Dead Eyes crew, which consisted of Erik Washington on drums and Bhuti Bhuti on bass at the time, the trio cut their teeth on the road and then recorded an entire project during the pandemic, mostly collaborating virtually between Detroit and New Orleans. For their newest project, YOU SAID SOMETHING, which hits the streets via Young Heavy Souls Records on November 12, the band has added Ashlan Ounanian to the crew, bringing lap steel and additional percussion to the group’s ever-evolving sound.

Boone’s songwriting prowess is evident, as are his efforts to relinquish creative control over the end product, resulting in tracks that bear a resemblance to his previous work while allowing the work of his bandmates to flourish. Washington’s drum parts lend both steadiness and excitement to the music, Ounanian’s lap steel flutters between atmospheric and blues grit, while Bhuti’s unique approach to bass is a welcome wildcard. The vocal contributions from both Washington and Bhuti add depth and complexity to the melodic content of the songs, and overall YOU SAID SOMETHING is a reason to notice one of the most promising acts out of New Orleans.

Today, Ghettoblaster has the pleasure of premiering the video for “See Saw.”