I always look forward to hearing a new CD from Toronto’s 24th Street Wailers CD.
Their latest CD of dirty, gritty, horn powered blues “Wicked,” was recorded down in Austin with Jimmy Vaughan’s bassist Billy Horton.
Their music, powered by a lot of sexy saxophone and drummer Lindsey Beaver’s powerful, whiskey soaked voice,
takes the listener back to filthy little ’50s juke joint.
They pack a powerful punch in 38 minutes on their most recent CD “Wicked,” right from the title track, which features a lot of saxophone and punctuated by several time tempo changes, yet it gets the toes tapping right from the get go.
The first single “Aim To Please” has a real old school rock and roll feel thanks to the boogie woogie piano of T Jarrod Bonta, who joins drummer/ vocalist Lindsey Beaver, guitarist Emily Burgess and saxophonist Ian Wong and bassist Mike Archer on the track.
The CD was produced by Jimmy Vaughan’s bassist Billy Horton, who adds background vocals.
All 13 tracks will get your toes to tap and will even get you to sing along in places like on “Aw Baby.”
“Feel So Good” is one of those.
‘Love Me Right is a more jazzy track that sounds like it comes right out of the ’50s.
Beaver has a gritty, beautiful, bluesy voice throughout.
It is a real rock and roll record full of two some minute long bursts of saxophone fuelled energy, with few tracks breaking the three minute mark.
The slower track “I Need You” almost makes it to four minutes.
“Chin Wagger” is a catchy and sassy ’60s inspired number which has a touch of Bo Diddley influence on it.
“Boones’ Bounce” is a peppy instrumental which allows each band member to show their stuff.
“ Help Each other Romance,” is a mid tempo highlight.
They end “ Wicked” with one last saxophone powered toe tapper on “Shake It” which features a big sax solo, a drum solo, then fades nicely away. It is an “Wicked” soundtrack for any blues party.
Band: The 24th Street Wailers
Genre: blues/ jazz
