Nick Schnebelen: What Key Is Trouble In? Review
Kansas City-based multiple Blues Music Award winner Nick Schnebelen is a blues rock singer, songwriter and guitarist who first emerged in the scene in 2007 with Trampled Under Foot, a three-piece outfit also featuring his siblings Kris and Danielle Nicole. Having also established a solid name as a solo performer since 2014, he has recently released What Key Is Trouble In?, his fourth full-length offering.
Featuring Adam Hagerman (drums), Cliff Moore (bass), Red Young (keyboards), Buddy Leach (saxophone), Aaron Mayfield (organ) and co-produced by Chris Hardwick, What Key Is Trouble In? has Schnebelen in fine form, offering a selection of 13 originals firmly established in an energetic, straightforward blues rock style.
Production-wise, the sound is crisp, clean and well-balanced, naturally highlighting Schnebelen’s voice and guitar in the mix without sacrificing the other instruments.
Musically, in a sense, the album is, with little deviation, a textbook example of a blues rock offering oriented towards hard rock, which translates practically into rough riffs and incendiary, almost incessant soloing. While blues or blues rock is not known for cutting-edge musical innovations, there are, admittedly, not many fresh or varied elements coming from such blues-tinged, borderline hard rock sound nowadays. However, when executed well, such an approach can undoubtedly give birth to strong, entertaining albums nevertheless. What Key Is Trouble In? certainly falls under this category.
The foot-stomping barnburner “Ten Years After, Fifty Years Later” kicks off the proceedings, showcasing Schnebelen’s frenetic fretwork from the very start. Subsequently, the slow-burning title-track steps into motion, functioning as a platform for Schnebelen to channel the likes of Albert and Freddie King in an incisive and tasteful solo while the ballad of sorts “Blues Nights” impresses for its lush, Latin-flavored overtones.
The mid-paced “Hard-Driving Woman” highlights the harsh attack of Schnebelen’s whiskey-soaked voice while, with similar roughness, the Chicago-styled “Poor Side Of Town” evokes images of dimly lit streets and smoke-filled bars.
Gradually amping up the aggression, Schnebelen is on the offensive with the slow-burning heavy rockers “Big Mean Dog” and “Over The Cliff” — both numbers fuelled by hard-edged riffs and more blazing lead work.
Elsewhere, we are treated to more of Schnebelen’s organic, vigorous blues rock, with the John Lee Hooker/George Thorogood-styled boogie of “Johnny Cheat” also being notable.
Overall, What Key Is Trouble In? is an enjoyable, rock-solid blues rock offering, packed with amazing guitar work and imposing vocals. From time to time, that’s all you need.
The Review: 8/10
Can’t Miss Tracks
– Ten Years After, Fifty Years Later
– What Key Is Trouble In?z
– Blues Nights
– Hard-Driving Woman
– Over The Cliff
The Big Hit
– What Key Is Trouble In?
Buy the album: Amazon