Self issued (label)
07 September 2013 (released)
07 September 2013
My earlier recollections of The Hoax are of a band that were doing the right thing at the wrong time – talented lads playing Blues at a time when Blues/Rock was desperately untrendy. The band were signed to Code Blue by Mike Vernon and for a few years looked as though they might be the great new British Blues band. They inevitable failed and broke up in 1999 but reconvened a year or two back for a reunion tour with all the original members and have now produced an album and, to my ears at least, are probably in the best musical condition of their lives – ‘Big City Blues’ is a stunner!
I love an album that is not ashamed of its roots but makes its own statements and in the opening number, ‘Hipslicker’, they are laying down all sorts of markers for the rest to follow – at once dark and sexy with an easy swagger and huge chords from Jon Amor opening the song and carrying the melody through. The title number has a slightly country feel to it with a terrific harmonica howl from Hugh Coltman which sets against his roaring vocals and Jon Amor’s slide. Robin Davey’s bass and Mark Barret’s drums pound the music forward and the whole band has the feel of a unit with almost unlimited power and no little subtlety.
The rocking and rollicking ‘Can’t Do Right For Doing Wrong’ has a great touch to it – very much oldskool but without being any kind of homage.
Jesse Davey and Jon Amor trade guitar licks throughout but the highest point is on ‘Two Steps Back’ where the delicacy and pinpoint playing is matched by the dark and dense tone of the piece.
Coltman’s harmonica is a joy to hear – there are three or four British harp players that I rate and he is one of the best – on a big number like ‘Keep On Messin’ where he works alongside some stunning slide playing and the whole thing kicks ass like a demon.
The Hoax are a brilliant band and they are, musically, beginning to achieve the potential they showed back in the day. Hopefully they can start to achieve the same level of success as some of their lesser talented contemporaries.
