BLUES MATTERS REVIEW

MEDICINE HEAD

WARRIORS OF LOVE

Living Room Records

Upon the first play of this album, I had to do a double take on the album cover, because I could almost swear that I was listening to a Tom Petty album. Of course, that isn’t the case, but comparisons are going to be inevitable, if a little unfair. For a start, there’s not so much emphasis on the rock side of things, giving a purer blues experience, which is no bad thing. All songs are written by John Fiddler, who is the driving force behind the project, inviting a host of musicians to help with the recording, and the result is a realisation of the vision he had from the beginning. Guitar-wise, there’s a variation of clean and dirty tone across the board, all played with feeling, and every guitar solo is beautifully crafted, and caresses your ears as well they should. Musically, there’s a whole lot of talent on show, and with the vocals laid over the top, it rounds out the whole package. When I first played the album I liked it a lot, but after several listens I loved it, because the more you listen, the more you discover. To put it quite simply, this is a stunning blues album that is worthy of anyone’s time.

JON SEYMOUR