Dennis Jones: Both Sides of the Tracks Review

Coming out of the gate like a drag racer with a hemi, Dennis Jones’s new album Both Sides of the Tracks starts off with an up tempo but smooth number called “Enjoy the Ride.”  However, it could have just as easily been called “we’re bringing saxy back” thanks to the fantastic reed rimming skills of Jimmy Z Zavala, who in addition to the super sexy saxophone, also does some wonderful harmonica on the album. Dennis got his start performing with the Zac Harmon Band and he’s been on an upward curve since then. Backing Dennis up on the record is a beefy rhythm section of Raymond Johnson playing drums, and Dale Black on Bass, with Teddy Zigzag rolling in on the keys. Track number seven aptly named “Number Two” (what’s on second, I don’t know, third base!) keeps the album going with a swinging boogie vibe past the halfway point.

It’s the next song “Skin and Bone” that truly encapsulates the modern times we live in, and the frustration at the simple to imagine, and yet seemingly impossible to achieve goal of basic respect for one another as people. The album fades out with the acoustic unplugged track “Lonely Joint,” which is a clever ditty about a discarded joint on the ground. If you can imagine the characters from Half Baked writing a School House Rocks song about weed than you might have an inkling about how great the song sounds.

Dennis Jones is a rare gem in a sea of marbles that is the southern California blues scene and this latest album ensconced his footing into that scene.

The Review: 8.5/10

Can’t Miss Tracks

– What
– Enjoy the Ride
– Lonely Joint
– The Machine
– Nobody’s Slave

The Big Hit

– Enjoy the Ride

Review by Jeremy Schantz

Buy the album: Amazon