Tas Cru: Tired Of Bluesmen Cryin’ Review

Here’s something that’s always great to hear in blues music, a bit tongue-in-cheek humor provided by New York bluesman Tas Cru. One of the classic elements that seems to be lost on modern blues is humor, which was always ripe in the records of Robert Johnson or Howlin’ Wolf. Tas Cru has made an album injected with jest, he’s clearly having a lot of fun playing, perhaps doesn’t take himself too seriously whilst making this infectiously quirky record.

The album opens with the ironic and silly title track, ”Tired of Bluesmen Cryin,” a song where Cru tells bluesmen he’s bored of hearing them whine about women leaving them. It becomes sillier still once the next song comes on, ”Changin’ My Ways,” which happens to be all about a woman potentially leaving him so he’s going to change everything about himself.  ”Try Oh I Try” and ”Every Word You Say” include the use of harmonica, piano and guitar with a jaunty, unorthodox quality to them, yet they all flow tirelessly. ”Sure Do (Want To Fool Around)” was the stand out song for me, it drifts along on a sweet melody, has excellent slide guitar, before effortlessly sashaying into a sexy waltz for the last minute. Cru has made an excellent song for love making here.  The last two tracks are also very noticeable, ”Heal My Misery,” which one would expect to be the dark, ballad song on the record, turns out to be this sort of ‘Charlie Daniels Band’ western blues song that is awesome; while ”Dark Side Of The Mountain” ends with a dark, sour tone laden with melancholy lyrics of losing someone to changing times.

The whole record is extremely likable.  Any artist capable of implementing quirky offbeat sounds throughout an album yet has the album ebb and flow fantastically deserves recognition. I’m tempted to say to a lesser extent he is a sort of blues version of Tom Waits. Tas Cru clearly is having fun and it’s great to go along for the ride.

The Review: 8/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– Tired Of Bluesmen Cryin’
– One More Time
– Try,Oh I Try
– Sure Do (Want To Fool Around)
– Heal My Misery
– Every Word You Say

The Big Hit

– Try, Oh I Try

Review by Josh May