PETE ANDERSON

BIRDS ABOVE GUITARLAND

2013-10-12

After a long career backing and producing the likes of Dwight Yoakam, Michelle Shocked, Lucinda Williams and Rosie Flores, guitarist Pete Anderson took the roll of bandleader and launched his solo career as a bluesman.  This is the fifth disc in that adventure. As always he's slinging a Telecaster and singing up a storm but he also spends some time on the baritone guitar, bass, harmonica and percussion. Joined by Michael Murphy on a variety of keys, a couple of horn players and a host of drummers, Anderson works his way through a batch of well crafted originals by himself and a number of co-writers. On 36 Hour Day his twangy guitar groove is propelled by rocking horn accents as he works through the reasons he needs 36 hours to be with his lady. The country inflected Talkin' Bout Lonely is a cry in your beer weeper while Talkin' My Baby Down is an upbeat bluesy number with the bouncy music in stark contrast to the warning shot he throws out to anyone dumb enough to mess with his baby. For You is a sophisticated, jazzy, number that features a fat guitar tone and lyrical grooves that would make Santana envious. Big Money is a funk/jazz number featuring a well-timed indictment of those making the big money while sending work overseas. While many guitarists tend to fall into a range of predictability, Anderson keeps the listener guessing. On Empty Everything he avoids the jazzy leads of some of the other tunes in favor of brittle single string guitar notes that stand out not only for their difference from other tracks but because of their stark contrast to the warm b3 grooves that carry the melody. In contrast, Red Sunset Blues could come from a spaghetti western with its reverb drenched groove and Rock in My Shoe, has a deep, swampy groove that could come off a Tony Joe White or CCR disc. As a bonus, the later tune gets reprised at the end of the disc with Bekka Bramlett on vocals. All killer, no filler. This is a terrific disc.SMITTY