Hot ‘N’ Nasty 2018
Dirt
When “going South” doesn’t mean “going south”: Dortmund drifters deliver their third dispatch for the break of day.
Blues know no hurry, and this German quartet are well aware of how long it would take to make their music boil and sizzle. With seven years between the band’s debut and its follow-up, and six years from the second one to its successor, there’s certain acceleration, and the rambunctious “Back On Track” from their third record may address the issue, yet the album’s flow reflects the ensemble’s desire to dig deep and get dirty rather than explore superficial delights. Acoustic instrumental “Daylight” greeting the listener and bidding farewell gives the 13 songs on offer a rounded feel, although the guys don’t seem to care a lot about concepts on playful cuts such as the funky “Take A Ride” or “Real Thing” which are all the better as a result.
While the lava-like twang of “Shake The Devil’s Hand” renders the politically-focused anger in Robert Collins’ voice quite sharp, Malte Triebsch’s slider runs smooth the piece’s edges and pour pain into a slowly burning “It’s Only Money” to bemoan another plague of this world, but the unplugged and exquisitely reckless “Drifting” and “Crusin'” will chase all the troubles away. It’s only when too much of a Southern air fills “Almost Like You’re Here” that the group’s romantic compass starts to ramble where more rumble should be, and when the boogie boom is in place, the licks of “She Talks” become truly captivating, with “Go To The Woman” stacking up its rockabilly hooks quite high.
From this vantage point, the heavy dirt in “Land Of A Thousand Lies” is revealed for all to marvel at or roll in. It’s worth smearing the band’s music all over one’s ears.
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