Hailing from Clinton, Mississippi, Eddie Cotton delivers an album of exuberant blues peppered with touches of funk and soul.
Growing up playing gospel music in his father’s church by day and copping licks from classic blues records in the evening, he combines these elements in a style that’s old-school and modern by turns. His love for BB King is immediately evident in the opening track, replete with biting guitar and a strident horn section.
Dead End Street recalls the sweet soul of the 60s, albeit contemporised by referencing Twitter in its lyric, while Fair Weather Lover proves that Cotton knows how to dig into a slow blues with a wrenching solo. Je Ne Sais Quoi may be just the wrong side of schmaltz, and nothing here is reinventing the wheel, but it’s a solid album played with style and flair.
