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There's not much of a soundstage, left to right Cooper creates space in layers and dynamics. There were no room mikes, overdubs, or postproduction, which gives the mix a very present sound. The tracks were recorded in Greece and Italy (Cooper may be British born, but he knows the climate he likes) using a 1932 Resophonic tri-cone lap steel with an internal mike, a 1960s National Chicagoan electric lap steel, and a third steel guitar of his own devising through an array of effects then direct to a Zoom H2 recorder.

There are no repeated themes rather, there's a consistent mood that builds into a long suite in which all the sounds are made by a guitar but only sometimes sound like it. "Forbidden Delta Planet Blues" is not a composition so much as a structure he's comfortable working within. The new album, which bears the same title, contains five long and very different versions of the work, clocking in at 1¾ hours. "Forbidden Delta Planet Blues" is a touchstone for Cooper the work, or structure, was previously heard on a 2015 album bearing the same title. His Americana abstractions sometimes resemble latter-day John Fahey, but Cooper's dialect is distinctive. It'd be easy to relegate guitarist Mike Cooper to also-ran status, but it is more appropriate to praise him for having run a less trafficked, manicured path.Ĭooper was part of the folk-blues revival in Britain in the 1960s, but in the decades since, he's chased a multifarious muse, who led him to Hawaiian and Polynesian influences, long-form improvisation, and sound collage. Mike Cooper: Forbidden Delta Planet Bluesġ6/44.1 Bandcamp download, no catalog number. They stated their aim to "Walk like the Clash and sound like the Supremes." Something similar could be said about Big Joanie.— Phil Brett "Cactus Tree" begins almost like a classic singer-songwriter tune before Phillips's buzzsaw guitar crashes in.įorty years ago was another challenging time back then, there was another trio who fused radical politics with great music: The Redskins. Numbers such as "Taut," "In My Arms," and the single "Happier Still" are ridiculously catchy. "I Will" features an organ that could have easily been on a Small Faces track. "Sainted" reminds me of early synth bands. There is, to be sure, a definite Big Joanie sound, but it is not static. The members of Big Joanie use their different styles to shape a song, deliver the lyrics, or convey an emotion. It's as if in days like these, they feel that there is no time for excess or filler because each song has a job to do and should do it as directly as possible. Margo Bloom's production is no-frills and direct. Each track is short, compact, and focused. Back Home will further expand that following.īig Joanie is a tight band blessed with adept musicianship and three strong vocalists, who utilize a variety of influences including punk, rockabilly, early soul—even '80s electronica. They have been steadily developing a following thanks to their 2018 debut album, Sistahs, and tours with the likes of St. Big Joanie is one of the strongest signs of the fineness of its fettle.īack Home is the second album from the three young Black women—Stephanie Phillips (lead vocals/guitar), Estelle Adeyeri (vocals/bass), and Chardine Taylor-Stone (vocals/drums)—who call themselves Big Jonie. Nathan Ridley, eng.ĭifficult times can be fertile ground for great music, and at present, the UK music scene appears to be in a healthier state than its economy.