Little Devils

I’ve been enjoying Little Devils for some years and this new album definitely carries the quality forward. The line up has changed slightly but they are still fronted by Yoka on lead vocals, sax and flute so their distinctive sound is intact and Big Ray on guitar has an individual style that takes their Blues to a slightly more jazzy place than most of the Blues bands plying their trade around the UK. Sara Leigh Shaw is a superb, solid and subtle, drummer while Graeme Wheatley is an underrated bassist.

They ‘do’ Blues but they definitely have their own sound, Yoka’s vocals especially with her accent and powerful presentation, and they are definitely an ‘urban’ Blues band and also a very European Blues band incorporating all sorts of styles and influences as well as the normal ‘stuff’.

The songs go from ‘Wounded’ featuring impassioned vocals and flighty flute work as well and into ‘Deep Inside’ a statement piece that starts out moody and introspective with Yoka sounding very small and hurt and gradually building to a massive instrumental blast with Yoka going completely (and brilliantly) OTT and wailing like a banshee.
The jazzy and sassy ‘Skin Sin’ shows a completely different side of the band with some rolling Hammond under the flute and a rap that isn’t embarrassing.

The band’s songwriting is excellent with no shortage of melody and some great hooks.

Track after track and they just sound great – fresh and lively and like a band that has found their perfect balance. Every member adds something original and new to their sound and they sound genuinely unique – I cannot think of another band who have the same combination of qualities or who give the listener the same variety of sounds and forms.

I have the feeling I’ll be listening to this a lot in the next few weeks – a real cracker