Brand New Blues (Cyril Neville)

Chronique

The youngest Neville Brother he may be, but Cyril Neville's accomplishments are as impressive as those of his older siblings. He played with his brother Aaron in various soul and funk outfits before joining the Meters full-time in the early '70s, and was one of the prime movers in getting his brothers together as the Neville Brothers. His discography is just as eclectic as the rest of the family's; he's played percussion and keyboards on records by Bob Dylan, Robbie Robertson, Edie Brickell, Willie Nelson, Los Hombres Calientes, and dozens of others. On Brand New Blues, his fourth solo outing, he teams up with Brooklyn, NY based producer and multi-instrumentalist Brian J., leader of the Pimps of Joytime, a band that is as indebted to the groove as Cyriland his brothers are. With members of his extended family along, Cyril lays down ten tracks that prove his New Orleans soul is intact, even though he's lived in Austin since escaping the devastation of Katrina. In fact, the aftermath of the hurricane creeps into most of the original tunes here. On the title track, Neville lays down some Al Green-style Memphis fonk to implicitly address the "brand new blues" that the hurricane delivered. Brian J.'s nasty guitar complements Neville's growling vocal. "Cheatin' and Lyin'" is a spooky, swampy meditation on the indifference of the powers that be, from the "White House on down" as Neville sings. The song closes with a gospel-infused chant to the freedom the city still searches for. "Mean Boss Blues" features Tab Benoit's gritty guitar, an angry vocal from Neville, and darkly humorous lyrics that portray the aftermath of the storm through the eyes of a man trying his best to make ends meet in a town with no jobs, electricity, or decent housing. Benoit lays down an raw, aggressive solo befitting the situation. But all is not lost. "Shake Your Gumbo" pays tribute to the city's resilience with a percussion-heavy track that simmers like the thick, hearty dish of its title. Neville also tackles a few tasty covers: "I Found Joy," the album opener, is a N'awlins revamp of a Jimmy Reed tune delivered as a jubilant strut. "Blue, Blue Water," another Reed number, is given a stark reading, with just Neville's vocals, Johnny Sansone's harp, and Andy Cotton's bass. Brook Benton's "I'll Take Care of You" has an old-time '50s R&B flavor, with Art Neville on B-3, some shimmering fills from Brian J.'s guitar, and a melisma-drenched vocal from Cyril. The album closes with an extended version of Bob Marley's "Slave Driver" with brother Art on organ. It's cut as a slow blues, not a reggae tune, and explicitly addresses both the historical pains of slavery and the modern-day dilemma of post-Katrina New Orleans. Cyril writes new lyrics that indict the powers that be for their callous disregard of the city's African American population.
© j. poet /TiVo