Imagine running into an old cousin you used to hang out with when you were little in a dive bar on the outskirts of Memphis. The cousin you try to avoid now because she reminds you of all the dumb shit you used to do back in the 80's, but secretly wish you still had the balls to do. You see her and you make eye contact so now you're stuck you can't ignore her, so you go over and smile over small talk and raise an eyebrow when she tells you she's still performing. A far cry from the 80s blaring Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, she still has her psudo punk look; red hair and assortment of jewelry, but now starts schooling you on how the blues is the foundation of everything any singer anywhere in the United States sings.
She takes center stage and even though you want to be judgmental because Time After Time is privately repeating in the back of your mind, the first track slaps you into the present giving promise that she really did do her homework. Her voice, even though still quite girlish, stands up to this art form like any other heavy brooding blues singer from our past. And just in case there was any doubt in her credibility, she shows up with all the credentials: Charlie Musselwhite, Allen Toussaint, BB King and Johnny Lang. This new, 3 years in the making album is fun, even though at times it's a bit more Beale Street than dive bar for my taste.
"grills before there were grills"
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