HARD BLUES-ROCK TEMPLATE
stephen watkins | denver, co United States | 06/19/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Greg Martin continues to keep the edgy, Blues-Rock, Les Paul sound alive (AMEN, BROTHER ) ! This band does take some adjusting to, and they do push the 'comfort zone'. However, if you love solid, raw bluesy-hard rock, you will be rewarded ! Jarrod England is a rough, tough Jimmy Hall-ish shouter, and Dean Smith & Chris Hardesty are a rock-solid rhythm section. Easily a 5 STAR release, from some guys that blow the speakers, and keep playing !!! MC5, THE STOOGES, MICK TAYLOR'S 'STONES,... IT'S ALL IN THERE..."
Trio Based Guitar Rock ? Count me in.
Glen Kepic | Norcal native | 06/13/2009
(5 out of 5 stars)
"First off, I'd like to thank Vintage Guitar magazine for reviewing Rufus Huff (the title of my review is a line lifted from that article).
If not for that review, I'm not sure I would have known about this release.
I bought this fine cd a couple of weeks ago and I thinks its awesome. Favorite tracks are 13 Daze, Gotta Have Her Name, Shirley's and especially Run Rufus Run and Hain't No Good Life. The solos near the end of both these songs by Greg Martin are outstanding. Maybe not shredding or whatever but for me the best qualities here are tone and feel and both are dealt in spades.
I gave this cd a spin last night (Friday night,yay) and these last two tunes were played over and over. In fact, most Friday nights will see me skipping from artist to artist and cd to cd but not last night. I just kept playing R H. The overall vibe and tones here were addictive to me. Nice dry humbuckers played in the perfect band setting - a strong rhythm section (Dean Smith on bass and Chris Hardesty on drums and percussion) with an awesome vocalist in front. I'd never heard Jarrod England before, but he's a killer, and I'm not a big fan of front men (I'm more interested in the playing).
The two covers, Good Morning Little School Girl (a first take) and I Ain't Superstitious (trippy octave divider-pitchshift use for the leads) are great as well.
There are some funk influenced tunes that I haven't gotten into yet (I just skip them-I know, my attention span isn't what it used to be) but nontheless, I feel this cd deserves a 5 star rating just based on how much I love it.
PS - I just cruised youtube and saw a great video of this band. The title of the vid is Greg Martin and Rufus Huff but the song is Hain't No Good Life, filmed at a bar and grill in Nashville. It ROCKS!"
At least it's real.....
Captain Trips | Nashville, Tennessee | 05/18/2009
(4 out of 5 stars)
"Listen, it's not early ZZ Top, Rufus Huff is a solid rock/blues band influenced by the 70's greats. Good or bad, it's an honest statement from a group of guys doing exactly what they want to do, not trying to please radio, music trends, media reviewers or consultants. From the liner notes, it states 90% was done 'live' in the studio. No one is doing music like this, for that I give them 4 stars. I think Andy Ellis, of Guitar Player, got it right....
"Drawing on the tough, stripped-down sounds of Free and early Bad Company, Rufus Huff delivers hard riffage soaked in Southern soul. Greg Martin's spine-tingling guitar solos evoke Paul Kossoff, Duane Allman, Mick Taylor, and Bluesbreakers-era Eric Clapton, while remaining utterly his own."
Andy Ellis
--Guitar Player Magazine
"Greg Martin, as always, has the perfect tone, plays the perfect notes, and makes you want to smile that smile of recognition almost every time his fingers hit the strings."
John Heidt
Vintage Guitar Magazine
"Flat out on the highway or deep down in the ditch, the Huff boys play it 'cause they mean it. And did I mention Greg Martin's got the tone and the touch!"
Audley Freed
Cry of Love, Black Crowes
Thank God someone is taking the chance to fall on their rear and play 'live' in the studio. So, if you want to hear some music that's real, isn't perfect, and isn't trying to please radio, give it a shot."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1