Achin' In Yer Bones
Me & My Americana / Continental Record Services

Canadian singer-songwriter Romi Mayes pronounced ‘Raw Me’ possesses a little Mary Gauthier in her sound. Backed by a hankering to rock on occasions she kicks over more barstools than she sits on. Gurf Morlix handles production (like he did with her last album, Sweet Somethin’ Steady in 2006) and plays a wide range of instruments on all but the pretty acoustic piece ‘Hard Road’. The music more often than not contains a restless and foreboding feel that clings to you.

‘Givin’ Is Gone’ with great passion and poise to her tones, she reflects on a failed relationship aided by brooding electric guitar and organ it sends quivers down your spine. Followed in playing order by ‘Mercy On Me’ - a cut that could just as easily been the title track, and with more haunting guitar and with Morlix joining her on vocals it strikes a winning chord. Likewise, a restless impassioned ‘Tire Marks’ is an excellent ‘I’m out of here and you better well accept it song’ as are the festering ballads ‘Slow Down’ and ‘Somethin’ Going On’ the latter warmed in superb bass, organ, piano, guitar, percussion and fine harmony vocals (Joanne Rodriguez).

With lots of spicy layers of guitars and good vibes Mayes’ biggest moments include the full-bodied ‘Tire Marks’ that features lap steel and telecaster solo from Grant Siemens. Otherwise, the playing is mainly left up to Mayes (electric, acoustic guitar), Morlix (bass, electric, acoustic guitar, electric bass and organ) and Chris ‘Chopper’ Carmichael (drums, electric and acoustic guitar). With Mayes showing lots of soul to her vocals, killer tracks ‘Givin’ Is Gone’ like with ‘Slow Down’ could just as easily have originated in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Such the impact crafted. While if blues is your poison then ‘If The Lord Don’t Love You’ is a song that, if it were around forty years ago it would have been tailor-made for Janis Joplin. †† †

www.romimayes.com
www.continental.nl