SIMO
Let Love Show The Way
(Provogue/Mascot Label Group)
Youngish but seasoned rock-blues trio Simo have a bit to live up to as the same label’s star act Joe Bonamassa flew their flag and helped them sign. This is something we talked about when JD Simo and the guys flew from Nashville into London for promo. The great essential dynamics are present here, improvisational stuff can happen at any point but they nonetheless sound disciplined and linear. Simo doesn’t drown out his voice with his own guitar, Elad the bassist can’t talk enough about Andy Fraser and the drummer Adam knows about Bill Bruford as well as Mitch Mitchell. Their overall sound does to me sound rather like a James Gang for the here and now and graciously they hands up to the reference. Opener ‘Stranger Blues’ takes Elmore somewhere else; ‘Long May You Sail’ has a euphoric vibe and chest-out psych delivery and fine vocals. ‘I’ll Always Be Around’ has a more back porch ambience once the D Trucks nod is out of the way and could be classic Marshall Tucker Band.
Please is a real stomper with ace slide and boy does he sing well! ‘I’d Rather Die In Vain’ has a sonic noblesse and buckets of punch with pinched note guitar harmonic touches and an insistent vocal, reeks of Texas! J D knows his way around the pickups and the band show maximum empathy. This group does not try to beat you into submission. Much like the great Little Feat, overall.
As much emphasis on tone and space is given to the music here as to impressive playing, on this collection, makes a change from the ‘we desperately want you to love us’ schtick that too many major label debuts seem to have. Yet..they don’t sound cocky. What a find!
Pete Sargeant
SIMO’s debut album ‘Let Love Show The Way’ is out now on Provogue/Mascot Label Group. In addition, SIMO will be returning to the UK in April 2016 for a three-date UK tour at the following venues:
Tuesday 5th April 2016 – The Basement, York, United Kingdom
Wednesday 6th April 2016 – Greystones, Sheffield, United Kingdom
Thursday 7th April 2016 – The Barfly, Camden, London, United Kingdom
For more information visit: http://bit.ly/1nZ92xr
(Thanks to Lee, Steve and Lulu at Mascot Label Group for help with this review)
