Is Tinsley Ellis’s heart more of a bluesman or a guitarist?<\/p>\n
When I first heard his 1989 album
\nFanning The Flames<\/i> in college, I thought that he was
\nsuccessfully straddling both lines. And when I found this one on
\nthe shelves of the Pierce Archives (sorry, Mr. Crosby, the buffet
\nis closed), I started waxing nostalgic about this album. So, off
\nthe shelves and into the CD player it went…<\/p>\n
And, nothing… was this the same album I had praised to the
\nhighest levels not even 10 years ago? I listened to it again… and
\nagain… still nothing.<\/p>\n
And after much soul-searching, I finally came to the realization
\nthat Ellis is more of a guitar player than a bluesman. Damn… had
\nhe been able to merge the two,
\nFanning The Flames<\/i> would have stood the test of time better
\nthan it has.<\/p>\n
Ellis’s style isn’t one of flash, but of substance. He could
\nprobably bend hundreds of notes out of the neck of his
\nStratocaster, but he’s more interested in laying down a groove as
\nwell as lighting the fretboard on fire. On tracks like “Pawnbroker”
\nthis is most evident. Ellis’s rhythm guitar line kind of reminds me
\nof Stevie Ray Vaughan. Likewise, the instrumental “Fender Blender”
\ndemonstrates his talents well.<\/p>\n
But many other songs just don’t catch fire like they probably
\ncould have been. Example: “Mr. Night Time”, the album’s closer,
\njust lacks something. Same thing goes for “Must Be The Devil,” a
\nsong which I always remembered having more of a sinister vocal than
\nit actually does.<\/p>\n
And the problem is pretty easy to pinpoint: Ellis really doesn’t
\nsound like his heart is in what he’s playing. It’s almost as if
\nEllis isn’t comfortable with the music he’s presenting to the
\nlistener. His cover of the Motown classic “Leavin’ Here” is a prime
\nexample – if it was any more sterile, it would belong in a
\nhospital. Even when Ellis tries to get funky, like on “Put Me Where
\nYou Want Me,” the damage has already been done.<\/p>\n
Ellis’s backing band doesn’t help matters out much. Bassist
\nWayne Burdette could use a lesson in funk, as could drummers
\nYonrico Scott and Guy Locke.<\/p>\n
The sound on
\nFanning The Flames<\/i> matches the music – it’s a tad flat. This
\nis a surprise, seeing that Brendan O’Brien was one of the engineers
\non this project. But one wonders if the overall groove of the album
\nwould have been better had it been just a little sharper. As it is,<\/p>\n
Fanning The Flames<\/i> is a passable listen, but you constantly
\nwonder about what might have been.<\/p>\n
And it’s not that
\nFanning The Flames<\/i> is a bad album. Had a few factors fallen
\nin different directions – hell, even if
\none<\/i> negative aspect had been changed – there would have been
\nmore to cheer about.<\/p>\n
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