With the occasional thrash of a banjo or hack at a mandolin, it’s certainly trendy for bands to try to capture the sound of early bluegrass and folk music. But rarely have any bands tried to capture the gritty, driving sound of early blues. Chapel Hill based-band TURCHI sets itself apart by playing a straightforward style of blues on its new album, Road Ends in Water.
The album opens with “Keep on Drinking,” an up-tempo shuffle. The rhythm section is reminiscent of the Chicago blues of the ‘50s, while guitarist/vocalist Reed Turchi adds fuzz-drenched slide guitar riffs throughout the album. The Muddy Waters cover “I Can’t Be Satisfied” sounds like the Rolling Stones in their prime, with the vocals distorted and the slide guitar weaving around the rhythms of the drums and bass.
“Dr. Recommended (Satisfaction Guaranteed)” is the grittiest song on the album, with two buzzing, overpowering guitars trading riffs. Guitars this raw and gritty require vocals to match, and the drawback to this album is that the vocals don’t necessarily hold up to the instruments.
Turchi tries to capture the vocal sound of the blues legends, but his voice doesn’t have that convincing, guttural growl. It’s easy to see past this when listening to the expertise of his slide guitar playing.
“Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning” is the final and most interesting song on the album. It starts with an ominous slide guitar and shifts into a marching beat. Turchi’s vocals are perfect as he harmonizes over the drums and guitar, leading the listener into a creepy blues trance.
Road Ends in Water is a refreshing album for those who are looking for something different than the acoustic folk sound and want a gritty, electric album that delivers great blues music.
