Can "On The Loose" Hold On For The Ride?

Garret Easley, who previously shared the stage with Toast (the backing band for Chuck Berry) flys solo on this Blue Sunday effort, recruiting some of Georgia's top blues musicians (Just to name a few): Jody Worrel and Pete Johnson (Guitars), Tom Hubbard (Slide Dorbo), Tom Vickery (Bass), Bobby Mobley and Ed Barner (Keyboards), and Robert Allen (Blues Harp). Notice in the list of musicians, no drummers or percussionists were listed. That would be because Easley IS the drummer and percussionist (something I didn't expect to read in the liner notes -- why? because most blues CD's that are passed my way are that of a guitarist or singer. So, right off the bat, Garret had my attention. Now can he keep it?

My first impression of Garrett Easley's "On The Loose" was that it was an instrumental disc you wish you could sing along to! That may not make sense to most, but think about this: it's all in the melody. This is the first instrumental disc that has passed my desk that really screams "music and melody." Each song is so well crafted that I have caught myself on several occasions humming along to words that are not existant! It's an amazing feat and something that I have to say was pulled off with (trying to not receive a 'rim-shot' inducing pun) ease!

Some of the CD's highlights include: "Just Another Sandwhich" which is a blues-tinged rocker with a touch of Southern Rock, "Sixth Portion," a slower blues gem, is backed by a stylish Blues Harp lead (performed by Robert Allen). The songs best effort, is the jazzy "This-n-that," where a night of cold beers, old friends, and staying way post closing time, can be summed up in 3:53.

Overall a CD that's perfect to "sit back, relax, and enjoy the melodies!"

-- Brian Cohen ("Are You Blues" Founder)

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