Janiva Magness - The Devil Is An Angel Too

Alligator Records

www.janivamagness.com

12 songs; 40:04 minutes; Suggested

Styles: West Coast Blues , Jazz, Texas Blues, Soul

This latest Release for Janiva and her ultra top notch, even legendary band, is a sensational piece of work that stands up anywhere on the planet. Carnegie Hall to the deepest Juke, this baby girl hits it hard! I know these folks and their work, that said, lets get to reviewing some of the tracks.

"The Devil Is An Angel"  is the title cut and the coolest soul cut with a subtitle early Tbird twist that draws you in and gets you goin' and ready. "I'm Gonna Tear Your Playhouse Down"  is a vocal Truth tellin' with rippin' guitar intro and right on, late in the night, backup vocals.

On the track, "Slipped Tripped and Fell in Love"  Janiva's vocals are a straight up real, An East Side House Party with tricky yet familiar upside down riffs while very fresh yet familiar more more of those solid backups.

Janiva steps out with her magic voice on "I'm Feelin' Good:, like Dorothy Dandridge in a B&W Movie, the Blue Root of Jazz is in here for sure. On "Weeds Like This" her voice is a vocal protest expressing great beauty, backed by Jeff and Dave with up on the porch guitar making it just right.

"Walkin' In The Sun" has the girl pressing down on her Joplinology to the max while the band is all them Alberts guitars, Staples, smoky preachin, cowboy struttin' great story in truth! This one is a favorite of this writer!

"End Of The Road" is a "Natural" country crossover with a lot of heart and soul and a certain High Urgency that's needed in 2010. Save Me - Dig!  "I Wanna Do Everything For You" is a plain and simply sensational rendition by Janiva and the band! Straight out of one of those original Hoss Allen T.V.show and right into our heart and heads!

On "Your Love Made A U-Turn:" there's preaching by the girl while the car is sliding all around trying to make that U turn, we can feel it in the vocals and the music that is rooted and ever edgy. Anybody's been married a few times, like me, is gonna get "Home Wrecker" right now! Sexy and truth tellin'! You may have to pull the car over, park the car and realize "whats been done" and may make All Y'all rock slow and cry.

 Just when you think great recordings like they used to make at Capitol records are gone forever, Janiva Magness gives it to us once again, just hang on to your Martini!

Reviewer John Lee Williamson is the head of Conjur Root Productions and a Veteran of the blues. He's based in Los Angeles and on the scene from the 50's til right now. 

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