Sean Chambers: Trouble and Whiskey Review
Trouble & Whiskey is the newest album from American guitarist and singer Sean Chambers featuring Todd Cook on bass, Kristopher Schnebelen on drums and Michael Hensley on Hammond B3. The album is produced by Ben Elliott, known for his work with Eric Clapton, Leslie West and many others. Special guests include John Ginty on Hammond B3, Jimmy Bennett on guitar and Andrei Koribanics on percussion. Trouble & Whiskey has seven new songs and three covers. It’s an impressive and powerful album, fully loaded with electrified blues.
Trouble & Whiskey opens with “I Need Your Lovin,’” a blues rock song with awesome guitar licks. The song’s rhythm sets the tone of the whole album. Sean Chambers shows his skills on the slide guitar on “Bottle Keeps Staring At Me,” a fantastic song. Chambers slows down on the title track and leads the listener to a breathtaking guitar solo. “Travelin’ North” is an instrumental track featuring John Ginty on Hammond B3. The track looks like a duet between Chambers and Ginty with highlight to Cook’s bass line backing the duet. The first cover is “Cut Off My Right Arm” by the Texas blues guitarist and singer Johnny Copeland. It was a great choice. The song fits extremely well with Chambers’ vocal and guitar style. The second cover comes next, “Bullfrog Blues” by the Irish Rory Gallagher. It’s perhaps the album’s best track. It was another great cover choice, very intense and energetic just like Gallagher’s version. Highlight to Schnebelen’s performance on drums. “Sweeter Than a Honey Bee” shows country influence with room for Hensley to shine on the Hammond B3. “Handyman” includes a great riff and is one of the high points of the album featuring guest guitarist Jimmy Bennett. “Be Careful with a Fool,” a song that Johnny Winter made his own, is an excellent version. “Gonna Groove” is a nice track that closes the album in a great way.
Sean Chambers’ talent is beyond you can imagine, the album reminds you of Stevie Ray Vaughan, Rory Gallagher, ZZ Top, Joe Walsh and Gary Moore throughout. It’s Chambers’ sixth album and he never sounded like this one before.
The Review: 9/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– I Need Your Lovin’
– Bottle Keeps Staring at Me
– Trouble & Whiskey
– Bullfrog Blues
– Handyman
The Big Hit
– Handyman
Review by Pedro Matta
