Spitfire
Artist: Raging Grace
Label: Independent
Time: 9 Tracks / 35mins

“I ain’t no Casanova, no pictures in GQ / Fashion ain’t my middle name; I don’t even own a suit.” These guys don’t have any pretensions about themselves, but they play blues-rock like they were born in the late 1940s and they don’t try to polish that up too much either.

Given the colour of front man Stephen Bell’s chest-length beard, they actually grew up on the ‘60s blues boom artists and the opening track hides none of their affection for Cream – even the vocals have a trailing vibrato that betrays the Jack Bruce influence.

Mix up factors like their independent status, their prison ministry and the fact that they have a track about the joy of giving into the church collection (“Velvet Plate”) and you can get an idea of these players’ authenticity and passion. But they can also write and play.

Each of these nine tracks is quite different from the rest, some feat for a simple guitar trio. Early on, they serve up a couple of R & B songs; then some sensitive slow blues with tastily expressive guitar work (“Strength”); the excellent, heavy-riffed “Rooted;” the pulsing “Big Story” and they end on a high with some low, growling Strat in the country-rock “End of your Days” and the straight rock ballad “Advocate,” which you just have to sing along to. (The Indie-Heaven link will let you stream the whole album, plus previous material.)

Their honest, earthed lyrics pull no punches and are more thought-out than you would expect from this genre. “Rooted” features a selection of biblical images – vines, trees by a river and Jesse’s genealogy – all brought together by the fine chorus, “My roots go deep, deeper than the frost can touch.” The slightly overlong worship track “Always and Forever” is the only place where jargon rears its head.

Bell’s guitar is warm and full. He doesn’t solo too often, but when he does, he shows that he is a natural. His style is pretty eclectic, but expect to hear tones and licks that remind you of Wishbone Ash or even Mark Knopfler at times. The rhythm section of Dean Shannon and Dave Cheney give full support, taking the solid route so that Bell is free to feel his way intuitively through each piece.

I really love the last six tracks. If I were in jail and these guys were coming my way, I’d put my escape plans on hold.

*Download*: Advocate, Strength, Rooted.

Derek Walker