Blue By Nature – Blue To The Bone

Karen Blues-Bones Lawrence

This posting is essentially about the great American vocalist Karen Lawrence. Having written not so long ago about European chanteuses, it’s time to acknowledge this superb singer and songwriter.

She has a long performance history dating back to her youth, but came to prominence in her early band 1994 with their eponymous debut album of 1978 and then Please Stand By in 1979 – both reflecting the hard rock sound of that time and more obviously in the early 80s: her voice here powerful and perfect, but not yet the blues bombshell of her later years as a singer, especially in band Blue By Nature.

 

She is also known for her guest vocals on two significant recordings: backing vocals on Aerosmith’s 1977 Draw The Line album, and singing the lead vocal for Back On The Street on Jeff Beck’s 1985 Flash album.

There is a great live Blue By Nature album - Live At The Lake [1998] - yet I want to mention my favourite Blue To The Bone of 1995. Every tack on this is sublime, but it really kicks off on track five with Lawrence’s gutsy version of It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World: the emotion in her voice reminding of Joplin, but in Karen’s own clear tone – with excellent guitar work from ex-Aerosmith axe-man Rick Dufay. Just brilliant. This is followed and matched, unbelievably, by the Albert King/Otis Rush So Many Roads, So Many Trains with its blues oozing from every musical pore on this great cut. Eighth track is a beautiful version of the beautiful Boudleaux Bryant song Love Hurts, Dufay adorning it with some wonderful Hendrixesque ‘Little Wing’ guitar licks. Ninth Love Me All Night then comes chugging in on a pulsing bass line and Karen’s vocal continues its sultry, growling and fulsome occupation of this memorable blues arena.

The penultimate track is an a cappella number Grinnin’ In Your Face and highlights Lawrence’s sustained vocal supremacy, not that she needs such a solo demonstration having shone from the start, but it is nonetheless a superb showcase. Closing track is Blue By Nature, a blues anthem to honour the band’s name with a fine horn accompaniment, and Karen Lawrence’s vocal adding the complementary grit to the pretty melody of its rhythmic line. It exemplifies the blues sung raw and also romantically and you will fall in love with its pain and passion.