From Memphis, Tennessee, singer, keyboards player and songwriter Sandy’s previous albums have focussed on Americana and country music, but now she returns to the blues – and, given the lyrics of many songs – Angels. There are still elements of Americana – try the heartfelt love song ‘Mississippi Me’, with just vocal and piano – but this is a blues set, albeit one with a wide reach, incorporating the gospel/ soul approach of the opener, ‘Soak Me In The Spirit’ through the good-timing ‘Somebody Gotta Dance’ with its country stylings (and great backing vocalists), and on to the brooding modern blues of ‘Road Angels’ and the straightforward blues groove of ‘Mama Don’t Like It’, inspired by the “Me Too” movement. Helping out are several renowned Memphis sessioneers and the A Team from Muscle Shoals, and Sandy can call in associates like soul-blues maestro Johnny Rawls (for the strong blues ‘Love Is A Wonderful Thing’), the excellent second generation bluesman Bernard Allison or former John Mayall guitarist (among many other things!) Rocky Athas for guest appearances. Well worth investigating.
Norman Darwen