Fathead

The fact that this release was recently nominated for a "Best Blues” Juno is no surprise to fans of Fathead. It’s simply another feather in the cap of this tireless, well-oiled playing machine. Fathead strives to attain maximum groove, taking their classic blues instrumentation into the realm of rock, soul, and R&B. First Class Riff-Raff — the band’s fourth release — is an all-original release and a tribute to their ability to write and perform great music: Leonard’s "Shake This Feeling,” with its muscular guitar lines and Keeping’s confident backbeat; Tunnoch’s "The Low Life” starts slowly but builds to a smouldering, rhythmic mass, fuelled by Lerman’s consistently rich harp work; "I Want You” is an up-tempo crowd-pleaser that showcases the band’s funk credentials without betraying its roots; Lerman’s "She’s Got the Look (She’s Got the Touch),” with its hint of reggae-meets-soul, reflects Fathead at its most together. Its five individual voices marry the best of their respective influences on what is, without doubt, a solid outing. One listen to their rallying "I’ve Been Bluesified” — a taste of roadhouse stomp driven by Lerman’s fat harp and Leonard’s twisted guitar — may well be all it takes to add your name to their growing legion of diehard fans.