Ruf Records
Ally Venable roars back onto the scene with her sixth studio release. A bold, electrifying statement, this cements her status as a blues-rock powerhouse, blending fierce guitar work with messages of strength and resilience, especially for women in a historically male-dominated genre. The album explodes to life with Brown Liquor, a swaggering opener featuring blistering riffs and a guest solo from Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram. It’s a powerhouse pairing that sets the bar high. Maybe Someday, shifts the mood, weaving in soulful horn arrangements and introspective lyrics that explore love and loss with aching sincerity. The title track, Money & Power, is a full-throttle anthem, pulsing with defiant energy as Venable’s searing guitar licks drive home a message of female empowerment. On the track, Unbreakable, she joins forces with the formidable Shemekia Copeland for a soaring blues-rock declaration of perseverance and grit. She even pays homage to one of her female artist influencers, Janet Jackson on her reinterpretation of Black Cat, a full-on rocker.
Other standouts include Stepping Stone, an earthy, anthemic call to self-reliance, and Feel That Sting, where tremolo-soaked grooves and haunting melodies display Venable’s knack for blending classic blues textures with a modern edge.
Produced by Grammy-winning drummer Tom Hambridge at Nashville’s famed Soundstage Studios. The production enhances Venable’s fiery performances on these twelve well-crafted tunes. Venable is clearly on an unstoppable trajectory. Money & Power is more than an album, it’s a rallying cry, solidifying her place at the forefront of contemporary blues-rock.
COLIN CAMPBELL
