Charleston Gazette Newspaper GAZZ
Review by Michael Lipton
Artist: Blue Million (www.alansongs.com).
Album: Blue Million
In
various incarnations (Stanley Louis Band, Off the Wall, Blue Million, Cheap
Beats, and solo), Alan Griffith has been a constant on the Kanawha Valley music scene since the mid-’80s. And while, over the years,
his style has changed from British and indie rock ’n’
roll to a pared-down format that draws on equal parts Dylan, Ramblin’ Jack and the Replacements, anyone who knows Griffith knows his music comes straight from his Boone County soul.
The
current Blue Million reunites Griffith with longtime drummer Andy Lewis with newcomer “J” Hill on
bass and vocals. Musically, the results are, by turns, minor-keyed story songs
that keenly reflect the life and mood of a West Virginia lifer (“Next Year,”
“Tall Ray”), Dylanesque talking blues (“Adam Bit the
Apple”) and rockers that invoke the grand, open chords of Keith Richards
(“Waiting For a Melody”).
A
prolific songwriter and nervous perfectionist, Griffith has labored for years to make recordings that sound live
and fresh. To that end, he turned to engineering and producing his songs some
years back. His latest comes closer to that goal than anything he’s done to
date. Along the way, Griffith turns in a Neil Young-styled guitar solo on “New Year.” “County Sheriff” is a gritty, Hooker ’n’ Heat-styled boogie. “Will You
Think of Me” is both swaggering and sentimental, while
“Catch U” has a good, old-fashioned pop hook.
A
dark murkiness comes through loud and clear — but not at the expense of
quality. There’s a hint of distortion on the bass guitar and just enough slop
in the solos to give you the feeling of sitting in the Corner Pocket with Mamie serving up the beers.
Catch
Blue Million on Feb. 16 at Clyde’s 19th Hole in Madison.
— By Michael Lipton