Melbourne’s blues institution Checkerboard Lounge follow up last year’s award-winning Sun Sessions LP with new album Roller Coaster, and it’s exactly the warm sound we need in these dark days. The current line-up, featuring Carl Pannuzzo (vocals, drums), Shannon Bourne (guitar), Zoë Frater (bass) and Tim Neal (Hammond organ, alto sax), delivers ten atmospheric, shiny songs (in total more than an hour of fascinating music, with the psychedelic closing track Prodigal Man lasting over 18 minutes and the popcorn-esque Double Standard as the biggest hit), arranged live in the studio, with wonderful melodies and powerful vocals. If you were wondering what contemporary quality blues sounds like, here’s the answer.
Roller Coaster, produced by Jeff Lang & Checkerboard Lounge, is out now digitally, on CD and vinyl LP through Cheersquad Records & Tapes. Dedicated to singer-songwriter/multi-instrumentalist Broderick Smith, who passed away last spring.
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