Albert Cummings: Strong Review
Albert Cummings is a blues rock artist from Williamstown, Massachusetts that has been releasing albums since 2000 when he released The Long Way with Swamp Yankee. His first solo release From the Heart in 2003 was produced by Tommy Shannon and Chris Layton of “Double Trouble” fame and the recording included the duo plus Reese Wynans on keys. His last album was 2022’s Ten which was country flavored blues rock that even featured Vince Gill on a cut.
Cummings’ latest album is scheduled to be released on February 16, 2024, by the Ivy Music Company. The album was produced by Grammy Award winning multi-talented virtuoso songwriter and musician Tom Hambridge and recorded in Nashville, Tennessee at “Ocean Way Recording Studio.” Hambridge also provides drums, percussion and background vocals along with Tommy MacDonald on bass, Kenny Greenberg and Bob Britt on guitars, Kevin McKenree on keyboards and Wendy Moten contributing background vocals. The album contains twelve cuts that are primarily guitar driven with passionate vocals that were written by Cummings with four exceptions.
“Emmylou” the opening cut and “Lately” were co-written by Cummings and Hambridge, “Goin’ Down Slow” by Jimmy Oden and “Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?” a John Lennon and Paul McCartney composition.
As already mentioned the opening cut, “Emmylou” was co-written by Cummings and Hambridge and it’s a kicking country rocker with stratospheric guitar peals and soaring vocals. The song is a story that warns of a woman who works in a diner with a “captivating smile” and a broken heart tattoo. “Live Strong” turns the tempo down as haunting vocals are sung in a call and response format embellished with guitar fills as the emotion builds.
“I’m gonna show you what I can do no matter what you say
Believe me when I tell you you’re gonna eat your words someday”
“Lookin’ Up” opens with guitar dominance as Cummings performs a Chicago blues influenced number with wailing vocals and stinging guitar work accompanied by organ riffs. It’s a positive looking song about how good things are going after finding a hundred dollar bill and getting a raise at work. “I can’t believe my luck things are lookin’ up.” “Fallen For You” is another country blues flavored guitar driven cut with visceral vocals in harmony with Moten’s voice accompanied by McKendree’s pounding keyboards and piercing guitar peals that culminate in a stratospheric solo. It’s a hard driving love song about love at first sight and the torture that that can result. “Let It Burn” begins with an ethereal sounding guitar ringing out notes with accompanying vocals sung in a long drawn out plaintiff manner with choir sounding background vocals provided by Hambridge and Moten. At the halfway point after a short dissonant guitar solo Cummings sings lyrics that communicate hopeless frustration.
“I’ve been called hopelessly optimistic
If it was broke I thought that I could fix it”
“Bad Reputation” opens with a playful sounding guitar riff joined by the rest of the band as Cummings sings about a woman who has a bad reputation because she projects her unhappiness on everyone near her. The story is accompanied by a throbbing beat until guitars explode with a penetrating vehemence. Song number seven is a cover by Jimmy Oden first recorded in 1941 called “Goin’ Down Slow” and it opens with a piano playing a jazzy intro like the original followed by Cummings coming in with slow and passionate vocals and thoughtful guitar notes that explore the lyrics. As the intensity develops Albert’s guitar becomes more dominant while the band continues to plays unobtrusive backup.
“Mama don’t send me no doctor because the doctor can’t do me no good
Tell her to pray for me and forgive me for my sins”
“Just About Enough” follows with a down home haunting guitar sound that conjures up feelings from the dark side with vocals to match. The lyrics and echoing guitar peals create visions of someone trying to escape a relationship that went bad. “Get Busy” is a “rockabilly” sounding tune with a stinging guitar underlying drawling vocals singing about a lucky day in the future. The guitar solo breaks into a jam with the rest of the band following the drums driving the rhythm. The other song that was co-written by Cummings and Hambridge is “Lately” which opens with sweet sounding guitar notes ascending as Albert’s plaintiff voice tells the story with Hambridge’s drums setting the pace for his delivery.
“Lately I feel lonely, lately I feel sad,
There’s no good reason I feel this way”
“Why Don’t We Do It In the Road?” is a Lennon/McCartney song that first appeared on the Beatles’ 1968 self-titled “White Album.” Cumming’ version is nearly twice as long as the original and not as keyboard driven but features explosive guitar peals dominating. The last cut on the album is “My Sister’s Guitar” an acoustic ode to the joy Cummings experienced when he inherited his sister’s guitar.
“Put a smile across my face
When I play, oh when I play my sisters guitar”
The outstanding features of the album are the strong guitar dominance on most cuts while at the same time providing equally powerful vocals with masterful versatility and delivery. The vocals are clearly articulated and effortlessly flow with descriptive lyrics that tell a story.
The Review 9/10
– Fallen For You
– Let It Burn
– Bad Reputation
– Just About Enough
– Get Busy
The Big Hit
– Let It Burn
Buy the album: Amazon
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Thanks for sharing the review! It sounds like Albert Cummings’ latest album is packed with passionate vocals and strong guitar-driven tracks, showcasing his versatility and storytelling ability.
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