Blues Wax February 27th Issue
 

 

 
BluesWax Rating: 7
Reader Rating: 8
Blue House
Who's In The House
Bekam Records
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Sleep All Day And Ball All Night, (02/27/08)

Together since 2001, the Blue House Band is a Blues-Rock trio out of South Florida. Their performances include an appearance at last year's Riverwalk Blues Festival in Fort Lauderdale. They consist of Robbie Altar on guitars and vocals, Richie Goldman on bass and vocals, and Bobby "BBG" Goldman on drums. Who's In The House??? is their first album.

Altar is the band's primary songwriter having written seven of their thirteen original tunes. Goldman, who has played with everyone from Firefall to "Spider" John Koerner, has written three songs and together with Altar they have co-written two more. "BBG" Goldman also adds one of his own. Bobby states that his inspiration comes from John Bonham (Led Zeppelin) and by concentrating only on their own music Blue House has developed a retro Blues Rock sound all their own.

The album opens with "Dynomite," a raw track that tells a story of Memphis and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Goldman's bass line propels the more sophisticated "Maybe Somebody," but it is the funky anthem "Age Old Secret" that really grabs the listener. "Bang, Bang, Bang" is a well-written story song with harp from Michael Marciano. "Jumpin" is a funky West Coast-styled Jump Blues. "See About Me" is a guitar-based rocker. "I-95" is a song about the highway that stretches from New York to Florida. She's a "Real Fine Lady," "gonna marry her someday," follows. Holly Doherty sings lead on "Gimme the News." "Won't Forget My Spoons" is a song about Rosey's Baby, the Lauderhill, Florida, crawfish house that features good food and local music. "Gotta Love Somebody" and the Led Zeppelin-like "Baby Baby" are about relationships while "Bluesman Tim" is about a departed friend.

The fun these guys are having is contagious and the album grows on the listener with each playing. Locals might understand the liner notes, but I'm still trying to figure out all of them. One thing I'm certain of: these guys rock the house. When they shout, "Who's In the House?" Yes, the answer is Blue House.

Richard Ludmerer is a contributing editor at BluesWax. You may contact Richard at blueswax@visnat.com.

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