Modern music, in and out of the underground/independent scenes, has been breaking down boundaries in style and sound for some time now. What once was thought as regionally locked in styles, Delta Blues belongs to the Mississippi Delta, certain American-style Folk belongs to the heart of Appalachian country, Western music belongs to Texas and the southwestern desert states, and so on. While those styles have been blended before (Blues and Western instantly brings the legendary Stevie Ray Vaughn to mind. Blues and Folk together has got to be The Doobie Brothers.), it is always thought to be an American act. These are the styles and genres that scream Americana, and instantly make one think of the different eras of American music. To have a band such as Blues For Neighbors out of Wrocław, Poland channel this music into their own sound is an exceptional feat.
Blues For Neighbors’ second release and first full-length album, Cursed Songs is 9 tracks of self recorded, smokey, old ghost worshiping, Folk Blues. They combine elements of the American deep south, cowboy dime novels, rural blues, and the dark storytelling of mountain folk music with a touch of gritty Rock & Roll.
“We The Sinners” starts things off with ominous vocals and backing bass groove. The electric blues guitar recalls a smokey bar room, sunglasses at night, and damned souls. The gritty yet clean guitar would be great accompaniment to a Tarantino-esque desert vampire film. The dark softness of “We The Sinners” is followed by the sliding blues playing of “Crawling In The Mud”. This is the kind of song played on a front porch with cicadas buzzing, and glowing eyes watching from a nearby swamp. It is simple, but effective in delivering darkened and muddy blues. The dual vocals shine through on “Unholy”. The sound and structure both invite comparison to Me And That Man (Nergal of Behemoth’s folk side project). The slide guitar gives the feeling of the wild west cowboy wrought with sorrow and loss.
“There’s A Place For Me In Hell” picks up the pace and delivers some grittier blues rock. The dark lyrics keep it grounded to the feel of the rest of the album. The solo absolutely nails it on tone for that southern blues rock sound, and if played live, lends itself to improvisation. Things slow back down for “Tomorrow I’ll Be Far Away From Home”. The subtle background noise gives the feeling of a calm nighttime sky surrounded by weeping trees and fireflies. The overall softness makes this a great wind-down song that causes reflection. “Shore” keeps that same feel, but the addition of slide guitar takes it out of the marshland and heads further west. The white lines of the highway and distant hills drift by as the rocky horizon and open skies of the desert valley turn into the sands and tides of the coast. The search for freedom continues as long we keep moving.
The always welcome cowbell opens “The Devil Went Down To The Town”. The grooving and sliding guitar really gets things moving. Modern rock rhythm meets old west style and storytelling. “Jack Lake” is full of bluesy strumming and steady rhythm. The solo licks have an almost jazz feel, but with blues grit. “Jack Lake” is clean, yet muddy; smooth yet grainy, thanks to an Orange amplifier and some DIY innitiative. “Blue Canyon” however, easily conjures images of a lone rider easing through a dark canyon. Rock formations all around and the buzzards circling in the night sky just overhead. It being an instrumental adds to the lonesome feel and tells its story perfectly, despite not having a single word.
Cursed Songs is available now! CDs are available from Blues For Neighbors on Bandcamp (as well as download/streaming) for European fans, and from Road Rat Records in the US. It is also available on major streaming services and YouTube!