J.J. Vicars

Album Title: Long Way From Home
Record Label: Annie Gator Records
Review by Sal Serio
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J.J. Vicars - Long Way From Home

Ramblin’ man J.J. Vicars has lived the life of the guitar player at “The Crossroads”, staring the Devil in the eye, always ready for the axe-slinger’s duel at the drop of the dead man’s hat. Currently based in Canton, Ohio, this down-South honky-tonk rockabilly blues man has paid his dues, but as does the finest timepiece, he takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’.

With a voice somewhere between Foghat’s Lonesome Dave, Bear Hite from Canned Heat, and Jerry Lee Lewis, Vicars lays down authentic rock ‘n roll blues with diverse technique, peppered with attitude and swagger.

While “Ain’t Waitin’ Anymore” has an SRV-type Texas vibe, and the instrumental “Icebreakin” features Freddie King or Albert Collins-ish bluesy chicken pickin’, there’s plenty of rock in this house, evidenced by “Cutie Pie” and it’s 70s sex gargoyle heavy modal shredding deconstruction. There’s also some Peter Green-era Mac magic at work here, with the ethereal “Albatross sheen” applied liberally to “Solitude” and “Sleep Walk”. In a nutshell, if you’re serious about your guitar-hero blues music, you be right at home drinkin’ and grinnin’ with Mr. Vicars. Screw the drummer, give the guitar player some, man! Kidding there, yet serious that this guy has the chops and the cojones to kick-start one helluva rockin’ roll-y hoedown.

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