TROUBLE & STRIFE - SELF-TITLED

Just Letting The Real Blues Happen!

--by Gary Tate

This band of seasoned veterans has as at its core Larry Kurtz on harmonica/vocals and Bruce Ley on guitar/piano/vocals. The guys (and one gal) bring comprehensive resumes to the table, and it's clear why they've shared stages with or opened for some heavy duty names over the years, including Mel Brown, Lucky Peterson, and James Cotton.

The talent runs deep, and also includes Michael Ley (Brian's son) on guitar, 4-times best Canadian Blues drummer in the lovely Maureen Brown, and Greg Smith on sturdy bass. Most blues bands can't replicate the immediacy of their live shows within a studio environment, but that's no big deal here. You can almost visualize the bar staff hovering in the background.

So kudos to everyone---especially producer Bruce Ley---for letting the real Blues just happen (mainly of the Chicago variety). Perhaps the joy of living in the Orangeville countryside spelled difference. It's more likely that experience and maturity taught them that if you try to over-commercialize the blues, it only destroys the power of the message.

As for the songs, well you guessed it…they deal mainly with circumstances involving trouble and strife, with some good times thrown in to leaven the load (Keep On Drinking, So Glad You're Home). Ley handles leads vocals on 4 tracks, with Too Many Problems and I Got The Blues leaving the most lasting impressions on this listener.

Kurtz handled the balance of the vocal chores, and he really stretches out admirably on Nothing Left To Take, although Hard Times On A Blue Planet is another destination worth blasting off toward. Not one false note (or sentiment) can be heard throughout Trouble & Strife.

ORDERING DETAILS:
www.troubleandstrife.ca