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SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DOWNCHILD – SOMETHING I’VE DONE

Downchild

Downchild
Something I’ve Done
Linus Entertainment

A Canadian institution of almost fifty years standing, their first single was released back in 1973, “Flip Flop and Fly”. Downchild – still referred to in some quarters as Downchild Blues Band, though they dropped that in the 80s – still make fine music. A lot has changed in music – and the blues – over that time. Although the down-home (musically and lyrically), harmonica-driven “Mississippi Woman, Mississauga Man” or the powerhouse title track could have been cut at any time in the last sixty-plus years, others display some of the changes in taste that have occurred. The opener, “Albany” is an infectious, horn laden jumping blues track and “Take A Piece Of My Heart” is a pleading piano-based soul number – this would have been considered commercial music when the band first started.

There have been numerous personnel changes over the band’s life-span, which is only to be expected, but all the present members have been there for at least two decades, and of course, the harmonica and guitar man is still founding member Donnie “Mr. Downchild” Walsh. With a fine bunch of original compositions (this is indeed a band effort), an accessible blues sound, a variety of styles from hell-for-leather vintage rock ‘n’ roll to a cool jazzy item like “Into The Fire” and all without a trace of blues-rock posturing, this is still a blues band, and indeed, it is the band that inspired The Blues Brothers. On this evidence they are not content to rest on their laurels – they’re not ready to cede ground to younger rivals just yet.



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SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: DOWNCHILD – SOMETHING I’VE DONE

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Norman Darwen

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About the Author
Norman Darwen
Norman Darwen grew up in north-west England admiring Elvis’ gold lamé jacket, Lord Kitchener’s way with words, and his much older brother’s and sister’s dancing to The Rolling Stones’ ‘Little Red Rooster’ on the telly. He’d wind aforementioned brother up by reading the entire contents of an R’n’B magazine he used to have to collect from his local shop for him and then reciting back as much as he could remember. Some years later he’d wind up his own friends by telling them who these people were that Led Zeppelin etc were covering – Willie Dixon, Howling Wolf, Otis Rush etc. These days he still listens to the blues, but has added a taste for reggae, zouk, rap, folk and anything else that takes his fancy…
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