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Lance Lopez: Handmade Music Review

Hailing from Texas, home of blues legends Johnny Winter and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Lance Lopez’s sixth studio album Handmade Music brings his own brand of heavy guitar riff, electric blues. The eleven track album is driven by bold, loud guitar riffs and solos, solid blues bar rhythms, but following the blues album pattern of having the occasional slower ballad blues track also.

The album kicks off with two brazenly loud bluesy, rock tracks “Come Back Home” and “Hard Times.” Both tracks are up tempo, with brash hook riffs and solos, also “Hard Times” in particular showcases Lopez’s roaring voice which has a resemblance to Paul Weller at times. “Let’s Go,” “Lowdown Ways” and “Dream Away” are slower ballad like blues songs, effectively creating a soft and passionate melody, with some very economic solo work from Lopez. “Get Out And Walk” propels the album with energy in a good old fashioned rocky, bar room blues number. “Your Love” follows and takes the wind out of the sails, with its somewhat plodding blues rhythm. The track is a little pedestrian and takes all the ferocity and energy out gained from “Get Out And Walk.” Lopez does his own rendition of blues classic “Traveling Riverside Blues” and makes it grittier with a heavy beat and darker tone. It’s a solid rendition, but personally, the whole time it was on I was reminded by how much more fun Led Zeppelin made the song. “Black Cat Moan,” a head banging rock song, follows on with the gritty sound and is accompanied well to the growling voice of Lopez. “Letters” stands out as a funky rock song while also having Lopez’s most wicked soloing skills wailing at the end of the track. “Vaya Con Dios,” the sole instrumental track creates a pretty effective threatening sound with lots of heavy guitar work.

Overall, Handmade Music is a pretty solid, formulaic blues record. Lopez’s guitar play is superb and at his best. There is a lot of energy in the album with some stand out tracks as Lopez helps keep the legend of the Texas bluesman.

The Review: 8/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Hard Times
– Letters
– Black Cat Moan
– Let’s Go
– Get Out And Walk

The Big Hit

– Get Out And Walk

Review by Josh May

Buy the album: Amazon | iTunes

Pete Francis

Pete Francis is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Blues Rock Review. Pete founded Blues Rock Review in 2010 because he felt there was a major void in how the blues rock genre was covered. Pete is the host of Blues Rock Weekly and a co-host on the Blues Rock Show.

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