Imperial Crowns - The Calling (2016)

No “Nitemare Before Christmas” to be feared for your upcoming Halloween Vampire Ball! By your first choice to crown “The Calling” as your title music it will be glorious from the very beginning. After 9 nine years of kind of “Sleeping Beauty” existence by no studio recordings here it is in 2016 their fifth and long-time desired cd “The Calling”. Jimmie Wood, JJ Holiday & Billy Sullivan have revived the Imperial Crowns after Jimmie and JJ were joining Kent Burnside at a festival show appearance in Holland at Moulin Blues 2015.

By “I Gotta Right” the blues-rockin’preachers of Los Angeles immediately put a spell on you by this raunchy, bluesy rock’n rolla. Big Chief Wood’s vocals and mister Holiday’s six-string artistry are a stunning loud-blast. A hooky “From Dusk Till Dawn – Titty Twister” opener. The title track of the cd “The Calling” is a finest mélange of blues and psychodelic rock. Jimmie’s chant is most powerful to keep the lord of the pandemonium away from his heavenly soul and Mister Holiday lets his bottleneck slide down and up his guitar the hellish hot style. The top notch is a wild harmonica-axe jam by the two. The highlight of their new magnum opus. After so much heat the crowns are slowing down a bit by the romantic, melodious blues-ballad “Grace Under Pressure”. “Wasn’t Love At First Sight” is full of dynamite blues-funk and the song of the lord of the sticks Sullivan. By its refrain it could turn easily by its live-presentation to a fan-favorite sing-along tune. “Love N’ The Devil’ is the crown’s worship to struttin’ texas jam-rock. The spice-up for this hot longhorn chili is the horn solos by Mike Rocka, Peter Slocombe and the bass-plays byBob Glaub. “Something of Value” is a magical, sensitive slow-blues for the long cold winter nights to keep away any bad demons and thoughts. Jimmie and JJ celebrate again their wizardry by their slide and blues-harp extravagances. If there would be any continuation of the Ghostbusters movies “The Mark Of Cain” should be the title theme by its funky blues’n grooves . If you love to grant your wife an extra-worship and glamour-spot in the flood-lights by coming down the stairways at your vampire ball wearing a sexy, seductive costume you will start “Miz Aphrodite” into rotation. It will turn out definitely the number one hit on the dance floor. “Liberate” is a amorevolous blues ballad featuring a starry, sensational vocal duet by Jimmie and his wife Rachel C. Would be great to experience this also live. “Papa Lawd” is the hot music tip for your laid-back trip on Route 66 or excursions the the Apalachian Trail. Beautiful guitar, vocal and harp solos as musical art. “Question Mark” concludes the album as rock-blues with a countryesque twang. Jimmie and JJ play and sing as American Glimmer Twins. Hope this title remains ironic after their upcoming European Tour in November 2016. Hey all music freaks kick your ass and heat up the winter nights at one of the Imperial Crowns gigs. You will regret it if you missed this highlight live in 2016. They absolutely have to witness your love and appreciation to continue their Holy Mass of their praise of the blues live and in the studio. “The Calling” – An absolute must-buy for all music-lovers, for blues-rockin’ demoniacs anyhow… You will play it in permanent rotation wherever you are and can… ~ Reviewed by: Markus Hagner

Lead Vocals – Jimmie Wood
Guitar – JJ Holiday
Drums, Percussion – Billy Sullivan
Bass – Andre Berry (tracks: 1, 7, 8, 10 to 12), Bob Glaub (tracks: 2, 5, 6, 9)
Electric Piano – Benmont Tench (tracks: 1, 7, 12)
Backing Vocals – JJ Holiday (tracks: 4, 7), Jimmie Wood (tracks: 1 to 8, 10), Rachel C. Wood (tracks: 1 to 4, 6 to 9, 11)
Booking – Borderline Blues Agency
Cumbus – JJ Holiday (tracks: 2)
Design [Album Design], Artwork [Art] – Bruno Boussard
Djembe – Billy Sullivan (2) (tracks: 11)
Engineer – Billy Sullivan
Harmonica – Jimmie Wood (tracks: 1 to 8, 11, 12)
Keyboards – Billy Sullivan (2) (tracks: 6, 7)
Keyboards, Keyboards [Keybass] – Billy Sullivan (2) (tracks: 3)
Mastered By – Patricia Sullivan
Piano – Benmont Tench (tracks: 8)
Tenor Saxophone, Baritone Saxophone – Peter Slocombe (tracks: 5, 8, 9)
Tiple – JJ Holiday* (tracks: 11)
Tour Manager – Martin Zehetner
Trombone – Ryan Dragon (tracks: 5, 8, 9)
Trumpet – Mike Rocha (2) (tracks: 5, 8, 9)

Track List:
01. I Gotta Right (3:16)
02. The Calling (3:41)
03. Grace Under Pressure (5:04)
04. Wasn't Love At First Sight (4:37)
05. Love N' The Devil (3:23)
06. Something Of Value (4:00)
07. The Mark Of Cain (4:43)
08. Miz Aphrodite (4:49)
09. Liberate (4:51)
10. Third World War (3:29)
11. Papa Lawd (4:23)
12. Question Mark (3:41)



All thanks go to the Audio CD

More Music in My Blog
Follow My RSS Channel