By Cornbread

Back Door Slam – Roll Away
{Blix Street Records}

2007 debut release from Back Door Slam, three teenagers; Davy Knowles (guitars, vocal, mandolin, lap steel), Ross Doyle (drums) and Adam Jones (bass), all hailing from the small-but-perfectly-formed Isle of Man (UK).

I was blown away by this CD! It’s fantastic! I shared it with a guitar playing friend, Mike Solomon who said “Great CD! Older voices coming out of young players. Great guitar riffs. The songs were put together well.”

Track listing: (all songs by Davy Knowles except #3)
1. Come Home – good bass throughout, rock steady rhythm and Los Lonely Boy vocal harmonizing.
2. Heavy On My Mind – soulful electric blues
3. Outside Woman Blues (Blind Joe Renolds) – a tasteful classic 70’s rock sound
4. Gotta Leave – a slower track with Pink Floyd like guitars!
5. Stay – a two part song, half slow acoustic and the other half rock
6. Too Late – a newer rock song
7. Takes A Real Man – a dirty funkadelic sound that would sound oh so good with Susan Tedeschi on vocals
8. It’ll All Come Around – rock solid, full of hard hittin’ guitar riffs
9. Too Good For Me – a folkier song, kind of
10. Roll Away – a slower, well balanced, acoustic song that is outstanding
11. Real Man (Bonus Track)

Now for the Summer, 08 we get a second dose – on an EP that includes fours songs and a video. Captured during recent live performances and various studio settings, the four songs are John Hiatt’s “Ridin’ with the King,” Jimi Hendrix’ “Red House,” Robert Cray’s blues classic “Back Door Slam,” (from which the band took their name) and the Doors’ “Been Down So Long.” The video—of the song “It’ll All Come Around”—was edited by the band’s record producer Dave Armstrong from footage submitted by Back Door Slam fans, supporters and street teamers. The video highlights the band’s diverse fan base, from school age kids to college students to stalwart blues fans. The EP is available as a download at iTunes.

I’ve gone back and listened to this several times since it was released. Back Door Slam is among one my favorite new up-and-coming bluesy rock bands. The songs are fast-paced and performed exceptionally well. This trio will rise above and be greats some day! Knowles is a talented guitar player who will only get better. Jones and Doyle do a great job filling the gaps and keeping the beat flowin’. Don’t let this bluesy, 70’s classic rock CD and EP pass you by. Buy them both today!