They say that if you want to sing the Blues, you have to have lived the Blues, and Dana Fuchs voice definitely tells you that she has. Fuchs is one of the strongest singers around at the moment. Raw and hoarse, reminders of Janis (who she played on Broadway and in film), but she sounds positive and the emotions are held in check. She was born in \New Jersey but her vocal style is Southern rock
This live album was recorded in a night at Godset in Kolding, Denmark, no overdubs, no rerecording, just Dana Fuchs live and honest. "Last fall, I went to Denmark for a mini tour, and my label Ruf Records & my manager decided we should record a live album there. My previous record, Borrowed Time, was under-served because of the pandemic, and this felt like a chance to make things right. But here's the thing, we had ONE night to capture it. No safety net, no second chances, no fixing anything in post. Just my voice, guitar, bass, and drums, and a short time to mix. I was sceptical, to say the least.”
She is a natural performer, tall and rangy, long hair flowing and commanding the stage and the audience’s attention, all the while backed up by a fine band.
On the ten tracks here, she demonstrates singing with power and emotion, her lyrics demonstrating her hard life. Tracks such as ‘Home Is Where The Hatred Is’ are all about addiction and the darker side of life while ‘Battle Lines’ touches on the difficulties in forming relationships while you are on the road. ‘Curtain Close’ has Fuchs exhorting the crowd to bring memories of lost ones back. The closer is a fine version of the Stones ‘Sympathy For The Devil’.
Dana Fuchs is a terrific performer, sadly not often seen in the UK. Failing that, this album is a strong reminder of what we are missing.
