Mitch Laddie: Burning Bridges Review

Hailed by American Bluesman Walter Trout, Mitch Laddie’s second album offers a diverse range of styles and demonstrates the Englishman’s virtuoso as a guitarist and song writer. At the age of 21, Laddie is clearly confident in his ability and has produced a fluent record that eases between heavy blues tracks with incendiary guitar riffs to softer, mellow tracks carried by the rich vocals and lyrics.

There are mixes of styles that can be heard throughout this record from the grungy sound in “Take A Bite” to the heavy blues inspired tracks that are driven by brash guitar riffs in the opening track “Time Is Running Away” and “Paper In Your Pocket.” There is a Jazz element to be found in many of the tracks due to the tight playing of the rhythm section; “Give You The World” stands out as a soft and mellow jazz inspired number. Laddie even fuses funk to inspire tracks “Would You” and “Gettin’ It Right,” which are both driven by great bass hooks and some blisteringly intense guitar showmanship. Laddie has also reworked Marvin Gaye’s funky “Inner City Blues” into a loud rock track with blazing riffs that work exceptionally well. There are two instrumentals, “Changing Tides & Burning Bridges,” beautifully played on a steel string acoustic, and “Mr. Johnson Revisited,” a nine minute masterful display in guitar ability from Laddie. What’s most impressive throughout the record is Laddie’s ability to seemingly improvise riffs and to run with it. Plus he often displays Clapton-esque guitar skills that’s most noticeable in “Gone,” which flawlessly displays how to build a solo to an explosive finale.

Laddie is starting to gain a reputation which is very much justified in Burning Bridges. Laddie is a more than competent player, playing the blues beyond his years. Burning Bridges has lots of potential to be commercial hit and will certainly put Laddie on the British blues radar as he emerges as one of the top players.

The Review: 8.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Paper In Your Pocket
– Would You
– What Are You Living For
– Changing Tides & Burning Bridges
– Gone
– Inner City Blues

The Big Hit

– What Are You Living For

Review by Josh May