Tasked with bringing the blues to the South of England is Adam Sweet and his band - and it's a challenge he accepts readily. It's been a few years since we caught Adam at his bluesy best and there has been one major change in the addition of keyboard sound, a sumptuous one at that, which really brings a new dimension to the overall sound.
This EP has the curious combination of being live yet not live in front of an audience as far as we can tell, so you get the excitement of hearing the band live in action but in a properly balanced studio.
The EP opens with "The Stumble", an old Freddie King blues cover, the clicking of the drumsticks counting us into this instrumental. and all the elements that make the band special immediately become clear.
There's a rootsy power bass from Paddy Blight, the steady back beat from Garry Kroll and that glorious Hammond organ sound from Thomas Hughes that we picked out earlier, all topped off by Adam's excellent guitar work.
Those who know Adam's oeuvre will be aware of the next two songs "The Green Manalishi" and "Oh Well" both Peter Green era Fleetwood Mac songs, - he's released them previously but in an acoustic format. The opening seconds of "The Green Manalishi" immediately consigns those versions as almost demos compared to the power on display here. Adam's guitar sound has the heavy rock blues feel to it, and his vocals have a certain pained growling quality to them. It all makes for a glorious wall of sound, clocking in at just under six minutes.
The more familiar of the Fleetwood Mac covers is "Oh Well", that opening instrumental guitar riff instantly familiar, as is the steady band build up to the first vocal element.
"I can't help about the shape I'm in
I can't sing, I ain't pretty and my legs are thin
But don't ask me what I think of you
I might not give the answer that you want me to"
The band are then fully unleashed, the pace is breakneck - it is exhilarating stuff with Adam's guitar leading the way.
The final song "Evening" - a Jimmy Witherspoon classic, is a slow brooding painful blues, the initial intro an explosion of sound from all members of the band, before things drop to a comparative whisper.
Adam's vocals are tender and sad as he contemplates being alone.
"Let me sleep 'til the gray dawn is breakin', oh yes
I don't care if I don't awaken, oh Lord
Since my gal she's gone, my baby's gone, oh yes she's gone"
There's a keyboard solo that hold your attention as it gradually builds from a gentle start up to a quite manic completion. It then falls to Adam to repeat the trick on guitar, initially picking the sweetest of notes and then as the percussion builds behind him getting increasingly louder.
At just under 9 and a half minutes it seems to fly past in about half of the time so absorbing is the performance.
Live At Crescent Records is available as a limited cd that comes with free download
A chance to see the band perform all four numbers and more is available at Live at Crescent Records - YouTube
Adam Sweet will be appearing at Tuesday Blues - 100 Club London 30th April
Ticket link below