Melly Frances & The Distilled Spirits - The Album (2014)

Melly Frances & The Distilled Spirit is a California based Americanan blues, rock and soul band formed in 2012 by vocalist and songwriter Melly Frances. They unveiled their first studio album cleverly titled "The Album" in July 2014 as un-signed artists independent from a record label. The band–Melly Frances (lead vocals, songwriter), Bryan Whelan (guitar), Matthew Labarber (bass, vocals), Peter Williams (drums), Devon Shae (fiddle) and Lance Dieckmann (harmonica). Melly Frances and the Distilled Spirit a group built around singer/songwriter Melanie Sponselee (AKA Melly Frances) and her backing band. The 11 track disc is a blues-rock-soul potpourri, with Frances’ husky blues-mama voice pushing hard on track after track. Listeners familiar with Janis Joplin and especially Susan Tedeschi will feel right at home with Frances. She sings with plenty of gusto, and has a good set of pipes, the intonations and aggression in her growl will sound familiar to listeners who cut their teeth on Janis’ Big Brother discs. Frances has a love of classic vocalists from Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday, Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Robert Plant, Bonnie Raitt, Ray Lamontagne, Otis Redding, Van Morrison and everything in between, the influence can be heard in her vocal range.

TRACKLIST

01. Blue Dress (2:43)
02. All I Seen (6:05)
03. Bootlegger's Ball (5:28)
04. Rebel Girl (5:25)
05. He Caught Gire (4:01)
06. Honey (5:11)
07. Dollar Bill (5:18)
08. Stone Song (4:46)
09. Weeping Willow (4:06)
10. Pusher (5:50)
11. I Got More Soul (Than You Do) (5:53)