Album Review for Adam Holt – Kind of Blues released on Zenith Records.
Ten songs, nine of which are original, from Alabama’s fine roots and blues performer Adam Holt. The opening track, Mr. Morning Drive, is pure Americana, showcasing that sunny enthusiasm of the US morning radio DJ. The song has an interesting back-story. It was co-written by Holt’s wife, the singer-songwriter Jillian Holt, whose grandfather Jack Bell was a radio DJ for 50 years, retiring aged 90. It has a memorable chorus with some fine guitar riffs.
All Holt’s deep influences run through every song; blues, old rock’n’roll, classic country. Although entitled Kind of Blues (Give the Dog a Bone, a fine example) the emotional range of these heartfelt compositions is much wider, as with the moving The Story Must Go On, a skilfully written song about the Civil Rights era.
Holt also has his fingers on America’s social pulse with the pointed anti-corporate comment The Bourgeoisie.
Holt and his band are classic Alabama musicians and troubadours, so it comes as no surprise that they’ve shared stages with the likes of Lynyrd Skynyrd and Hubert Sumlin.
This is big, soul-satisfying music culminating in a fine version of Bob Dylan’s Lay Lady Lay. We’ll be hearing more of Adam Holt and rightly so.
Album Review by Roy Bainton
More Info – Adam Holt
