JW JONES

BELMONT BOULEVARD

2015-01-11

For his Blind Pig Records debut after several releases on other labels, guitarist/singer JW Jones is joined by top flight talent including producer Tom Hambridge (Buddy Guy, George Thorogood, Delbert McClinton) on drums and percussion, Rob McNelly on guitar and Reese Wynans on keyboards. With more than half of the tunes written or co-written by Jones this disc bears his personal stamp and features tributes to his favorite jacket that took him through thick and thin, "Blue Jean Jacket", and his guitar hero, Jimmie Vaughan, "What Would Jimmie Do". He also relishes being set free by his errant lady, "Thank You", runs from the blues which are chasing him like Jessie James with a bounty on his head, "Coming After Me" and expresses regret over moments of weakness in the face of temptation, "Never Worth It" and "Cocaine Boy". Throughout, Jones' guitar work leads the charge with amazing versatility as evidenced by the tough groove of the Bobby Parker cover, "Watch Your Step", the hard as nails instrumental, "Magic West Side Boogie", the manic riffing on "Don't Be Ashamed", the elegant, jazzy fills on "If It Feels this Good Tomorrow" and the dynamic cover of Buddy Guy's "What's Inside of You" where he mixes glistening leads with tough, raunchy fills. While the menu here has plenty of blues, there are more than occasional moments when 70's era rock provides just as strong a reference point. With a voice that perfectly suits the material Jones has crafted a terrific release that should earn plenty of spins from purists and general music fans alike. Smitty