Reviews and Other Info

When it comes to Debut Releases, their are bad ones, good ones, great ones and then their is that rare Album that can only be classified as exceptional. Such is the case with the very exceptional Self-Titled Debut Release by the Bare Bones Boogie Band.

When I first listened to this Album, it was not long in before I came to the realization that this one was something really special. After I listened to it again I realized that I was not only listening to something very special but something very rare, especiaaly in todays over cluttered blah blah music scene, in fact I can very honestly say that not only was this album the best I have heard so far in 2010, it is simply the best I have heard, in many years.

With an Award-winning and critically acclaimed lineup featuring Helen Turner (Vocals), Iain Black (Guitar), Trev Turley (Bass), and Andy Jones (Drums), the Bare Bones Boogie Band takes you on a fantastic journey, with something new and special around each corner that most of us have not experienced before, as they present their briliant rendition of Rock, Blues, and Boogie. In fact this is what I like to call a selfish Album, one that you sneak away with, to listen to in complete privacy, with eyes closed and no chance of being distracted. It is then that you truly appreciate every nook and cranny the Bare Bones Boogie Band has waiting for you to explore. I particularily liked the way the band branched out giving the listener a bit of a freestyle jam feel to a lot of the songs.

Choosing a center piece of this band, can be a little hard, with such a lineup of great talent, but one would have to say that the vocals that Helen Turner has are something to behold, and her sound and style is often compared to Janis Joplin. The band as a whole can be compared to a lot of the greats, such as the Rolling Stones and similiar styled bands from that earliar era.  

This Album has a very fine lineup of songs, with 6 of the 10 being originals by Iain Black and the remainder being songs written by Joplin (One Good Man), Jordan/Foster (I'd Rather Go Blind), Jagger/Richards (Live With Me) , and Gage (Early Monday Morning), all done to perfection especially the covers.

I have no problem what so ever giving this Album an euthusiaitic 5***** Rating. This is an Album not to be missed and a Band that is headed for the bigtime.  Thoroughly enjoyed it... Highly Recommended... Really looking forward to their next Album, but not to soon as I still got a lot of playing of this one to do.

John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)

Boogie in yer bones!!"

Award-winning and critically acclaimed, Helen Turner, Iain Black, Trev Turley and Andy Jones bring you the Bare Bones Boogie Band. Good-time, stripped down, no nonsense, rock ‘n’ blues ‘n’ boogie!!

The Bare Bones Boogie Band at their best, on this, their debut ten track CD. This London based, female fronted four piece band, bring you a collection of their own songs with a couple of Blues Classics. No frills and ready to Boogie, in their own imitable style.

Review in "Blues Matters!" magazine (Issue 53 - April 2010):
www.bluesmatters.com

It is easy to file the Bare Bones Boogie Band alongside the likes of Northsyde and Never The Bride, talented Blues stalwarts of the UK scene. Indeed, Scots Helen Turner and Iain Black may be better known in their previous band incarnations. It is to their credit they can also be filed next to The Rolling Stones and Janis Joplin. The opener, 'Baby, Baby Be Mine' has the infectious riff and rhythm of the latter two in particular. Guitarist Iain Black composes six of the tracks, so it's no surprise that the album is a guitar gumbo, with shades of Peter Green most welcome. 'Black Cat Strikes Back' has an air of early Texas, only better, with Helen Turner giving heartfelt feeling to the vocals, certainly more Lorna Fothergill than Sharlene Spiteri. The boogie element of the band only comes across on a couple of tracks and is almost a misnomer, as their focus works best on the slow shivering Blues. Turner rejuvenates Joplin in 'One Good Man' and this sound is surely their stripped down bare bones niche. A crowd-pleasing precipitator, 'I'd Rather Go Blind' is emotively raw and leads sweetly into the Jagger/Richards avalanche of rock 'Live With Me'. It's a super debut.

Gareth Hayes

Review in "Classic Rock" magazine (Issue 145 - June 2010):
www.classicrockmagazine.com

On their MySpace page, BBBB liken their sound to 'the best night out you're ever likely to have'. It's a stretch, but you get the gist: this album demands to be heard in a cellar bar, pint in hand, pre-smoking ban. Stripped of such props, it's straightforward but enjoyable power-blues, made sexier by Helen Turner's belting vocal. They're probably playing your town tonight - why not check 'em out?

Henry Yates

Review in "Blues in Britain" magazine (February 2010):
www.blueprint-blues.co.uk

The debut album from the Bare Bones Boogie Band finds the four-piece on fine form, as they play through a set of largely original songs. The group, led by Joplinesqe singer Helen Turner, is about a good time, the heavy beat and stratospheric blues licks, although they also have a softer side. The rhythm section of bassist Trev Turley and drummer Andy Jones keep things grounded, whilst the Kossoff like guitar of lain Black, who also wrote the vast majority of songs, adds a new dimension.

Songs such as "Baby, Baby Be Mine" is a mid tempo rocker, whilst "Black Cat Strikes Back" hangs on a more jazz like ambience. "Full Tilt Boogie Man" and "Sister Sunshine" are chordal rockers. The Janis Joplin song "One Good Man" gives full vent to Helen Turner's vocal talents, whilst their cover of "I'd Rather Go Blind" shows the band in full ballad mode.

This group is best in the live arena and if the album is anything to go by, they will be well worth seeing live.

Rating: 7 - Ben Macnair

Review in "Stillgigging" (February 2010):
www.stillgigging.com

Bare Bones Boogie Band released their first CD early in January 2010. This four piece rock/blues band hail from the South East of England and are made up of Helen Turner, the vocalist, Iain Black plays guitars and is the bands songwriter, Trev Turley plays Bass and Andy Jones is the bands drummer. It is clear from the first few minutes that the Bare Bones Boogie Band are all very experienced and very good at what they do. Helens vocals hint at evidence of gargling of razor blades giving her voice a great gravelly edge on the rockier songs but not at the expense of melodic quality on the quieter songs. Iain’s guitar playing is well balanced between "less is more" and some storming solo breaks when required. Since I was playing the album quite loud, at times Trevs bass was reverberating in my chest, plucking at my very heart strings - noticeable in particular on the cover of the Janis Joplin song "One Good Man". Backing all this up is Andy, clearly a versatile drummer with great sensitivity when required, for example, on "Black Cat Strikes Back" and then on the faster paced songs thumping out a great solid back-beat for the band.

The album is very good indeed, but I have to admit that on first listen it didn’t quite grab me. I’ve had it in my car looping around for a couple of weeks now wherever I drive and it has definitely grown on me over that time. So why didn’t it grab me first time around?

Well today, as I wrote my notes for this review, listening to the CD at home I realised why. The album opens up with "Baby, Baby Be Mine" & "Black Cat Strikes Back" followed by "Full Tilt Boogie Man" and for me these 3 tracks probably come in the wrong order, I would have reversed the order and opened the album with "Full Tilt Boogie Man" because it really grabs the listener’s attention - well it does mine anyway.

The other main comment is that for me the covers are the highlights. They’re excellent covers - Joplins "One Good Man", Etta James "I’d Rather Go Blind" the Stones "Live With Me" and Vinegar Joe’s "Early Monday Morning" - top marks for all of these, but they do put the bands own material slightly in the shadows. Only slightly though! I am sure that would have been less noticeable to me if only 2 of the 10 tracks had been covers, rather than 4.

However, that said, I heartily recommend that you support the Bare Bones Boogie Band, buy their CD and check them out live - full details on their myspace site.

Simon J. Gledhill

Track Listing: