Dirty Mac Blues Band's "Victory Bar"

The Blues has often been a male dominated genre. When this type of music comes to mind, the average listener can’t help but think of a host of different males artists, including B.B. King and Buddy Guy to name a couple from a very long and well-respected list. The topics of blues songs are usually sung from the perspective of a man and these performers are not just blues singers but also accomplished guitarists, another male dominated area of music. Because of these two factors, it is fair to say that most women have not traditionally been able to relate to the Blues or have a dominating part in a blues band. Thanks to the Dirty Mac Blues Band though, that can now change.

With Terry Mackie on vocals, The Dirty Mac Blues Band offers a fresh perspective with their newest CD Victory Bar . Unlike the typical blues band, these songs are song from the point of view of a woman. They are not about how some guy’s lady did him wrong and took off with some one else, but instead describe the frustrations and desires of women, creating an unexpected and unique twist. “BBQ” is filled with sexual innuendos with lines like “I hear you like to have your pork pulled tight/ Yeah, that’s something I get a craving for real late at night” and “ My dipping sauce is sweet/let me drip some on your meat” that are borderline inappropriate, but the point here is to draw attention to themselves and they manage to do so. Perhaps it’s the urge to compete with the male dominating artists in the genre and show that women can be as aggressive too, but by doing so they are narrowing down their listeners to a select few. Of course, this is all tongue-in-cheek humor and isn’t’ meant to be taken seriously, but one can’t help but wonder if there is some sort of underlying “If you can do it than so can I” attitude being used as the catalyst here and, if so, can potentially give this listen a black eye. While this is probably unlikely and a very deep look into a selection of songs that are not meant to garner that much critical attention, it is worth mentioning and taking into consideration when listening to Victory Bar . Mackie delivers these lyrics with conviction, however, due to her deep and impressive voice that can fill the room. .


The band itself is a laid back and sound confident. There aren’t any signs of flash or flair, but they are a solid and dependable band that fall in the pocket smoothly. “Gospel Stomp” is a memorable blues number with dirty slide guitar by “Bashful” Bob Ross and a slow rolling beat to back it up. The perfectly title “Mississippi Twang” gives off a real roots feel straight from the swamps of the south thanks again to Bob Ross’ guitar and "Gentleman" Josh Nathan’s harmonica. The lyrics help convey the mood even more when Mackie menacingly sings dark lyrics like “I watched the vultures pick apart all your bones” and “All those promises you made that you broke/ Now you’re hanging from the end of my rope”. The chugging “Gypsy Train” is a showcase for the strong rhythm section that is Mark "Yo Sam" Bell on drums and Matt Robinson on bass.

This does not sound like a band from the north east at all, but rather an experienced group from the belly of the south. They have a knack to capture a real back-porch blues sound on more than one occasion and this is ultimately their greatest strength. The presence of a female singer songwriter may be an attraction for some while not so for others, but they aren’t demanding much from their listeners and should appeal to most blues enthusiasts.


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Midnight Music: Plumerai's "Without Number"

A lot of times you have some sort of an idea of what you’re getting yourself into when you plan on listening to a particular artist.. However, with Plumerai it is the equivalent to walking in the dark. That is until you here the first song. Apparently it’s true that once you’ve heard one you’ve heard them all. But that isn’t necessarily a bad thing if the artist offers a unique and interesting sound, as Plumerai does. But, it can test your patience and interest.

A dark and brooding album, Plumerai“Without Number” is a slow and numbing trip to the dark recesses of the mind. Many of the songs offer a wide atmospheric touch with linear, guitar delay and tight drums. The prime suspect in of this combination is the unsettling “Blues & Greens”. With its weird accordion break-down and dark sonic dream-scape, “Blues & Greens” is the apex of the Donnie Darko-esque vibe that this album carries with it and that distinguishes Plumerai from today’s other acts. A more catchy number and probably the most memorable track here is the ringing “Iris”. Martin Newman offers a simple melody that the rest of the band ride on and help expand, showing their ability to stretch out something from next to nothing. There aren’t any big hooks on this album and this track is as close as it gets to that. Instead it is a more moody and personal listen. Because of this, many of the songs tend to blend together and sound alike. The instrumental “Sin El Lagarto”, however, is a much welcomed change of pace and is the only real up-beat song here. It has a swirling, tango rock feel and moves at about twice the speed of the rest of the album. Whether it was intentional or not, “Illuminata” is straight from James Bond and there is absolutely no way anyone who listens to it and has ever watched a 007 film could possibly disagree.


Worth noting is the tag on of the two recent singles released by Pulmerai. The first, titled “Empty Graves” is a promising effort that has Plumerai taking their signature sound, minus much of the lurking and gloomy quality, and adding a more pop/rock feel that makes it much more accessible. “Strike” is more like what is heard here on “Without Number” and is another foray into the engulfing abyss of simple and repetitive melodies that build up into a strong finish.


On vocal duties is Elizabeth Ezell, and thanks to her shadowy presence she is the perfect match for the music itself and has a lot to do with the haunting quality of “Without Number”. Her aching and sensitive voice sounds as though it is ready to break, helping add real frail emotion. If Plumerai is trying to alienate and unsettle their listeners though, they achieve that on the disturbing “Kill My Way Outta Here”. The repeated line of “I’m going to kill” matched with Ezell’s innocent yet creeping voice is the darkest and strangest that “Without Number” gets. Because of this and because the lyrics can be hard to distinguish from one another, it can be hard to relate to much of the songwriting. This is one of the causes of the songs sounding too much like more times than not. There aren’t many outstanding vocal melodies that stop this from happening and it can be costly.


“Without Number” isn’t the type of album you’ll really want to blast or make known that you’re listening to it. While that might sound like the ultimate seal of a negative review, it speaks to the extremely private and intimate attention that it demands from its listeners. This album is meant to be a personal listen and it is clear that Plumerai achieves that. Perhaps Plumerai intends on having “Without Number” to be listened to with the lights out, with nothing more than their sonic presence and your deepest thoughts.