Matt Andersen - Coal Mining Blues

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 17 / 3 / 2012

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I have to admit that, even though it appears that Canadian bluesman Matt Andersen has already released some seven albums and picked up more than a handful of awards through the years, he was a new name to this writer. But before I’d heard even one note on his new album, ‘Coal Mining Blues’ I knew that it was going to contain some first-class music. I just wasn’t expecting it to be this good though. Seeing the name of respected Canadian producer/musician Colin Linden as producer of ‘Coal Mining Blues’ was enough to ensure the quality of this album. The fact that Linden also co-wrote half the songs on the album with Andersen, and also lends his guitar skills to most of the tracks was further proof that we were in for something of a treat. Firstly if the blues isn’t usually your cup of tea don’t pass this album by. Matt Andersen is a gentle giant of a man who can certainly belt out the blues with passion one minute, and then show a much gentler, restrained side the next. In fact the songs where Andersen shows his mellow side are the standouts on an album that will rate as one of the best of 2012 and not just in the blues field. ‘Coal Mining Blues’ was recorded at Levon Helm Studios in Woodstock, New York, and the Band connection continues with the appearance of Garth Hudson playing accordion on ‘Home Sweet Home’, one of the songs showing Andersen’s gentler side. Vocally Andersen is stunning on these mellower sides; the passion is simply dripping off each and every word. I could listen to this song all day long. It might not be the blues as we know it, but the emotion displayed by all the musicians on this song is heart stopping. With backing vocals from Jonell Mosser adding further sweetness to Andersen’s Joe Cocker- at-his-most-soulful vocals, it’s amazing that just the singer’s acoustic, that accordion and Linden’s resonator guitar can create such a full satisfying sound. But to start at the beginning, the album kicks off with ‘I Don’t Wanna Give In’ a rousing blues with, not for the last time on the album, neat touches of gospel, especially in the backing vocals from Amy Helm, best known for her work with Ollabelle and sterling guitar work as expected from producer Linden. Andersen follows up that opening shot with another fine slab of blues in ‘Fired Up’ again. With Amy Helm proving her worth as a singer and with Linden on resonator guitar, John Sheard on organ and Andersen turning in some very impressive lead guitar work, it’s the perfect blues work-out. Then we get the first signs of mellow Andersen on the title track and, after those opening up-tempo blues, it comes as something of a surprise. It’s a song detailing the feelings of a working miner and with brass adding further texture to the sound it’s a highlight of the album. Without a doubt some of the most affecting lyrics featured on the album; after looking in the mirror Andersen sings, “The sunken red eyes, and the lines in my face/A tired old man has taken my place” then later, “I can’t fall asleep for the dreams that may come/When the walls cave in and the coal fills my lungs” the singer pulls you into the world of the worn-out miner. While Andersen is obviously rooted in the blues, ‘Coal Mining Blues’ is far from just another blues-by-numbers album. ‘Baby I’ll Be’ is a fine slab of soul/gospel where producer Linden again uses John Sheard’s organ most effectively. It’s another must be heard track. To show just how adept Andersen is at playing the blues (or should that be feeling the blues?) listen to ‘Make You Stay’, which is just Andersen’s mighty acoustic accompanied by drums, and the singer displaying his best blues vocals. It’s blues that will appeal to those who wouldn’t normally find that genre interesting. Andersen and Linden don’t put a foot wrong throughout these dozen songs. There are some really neat, nice touches like a cover of Willie P Bennett’s ‘Willie’s Diamond Joe’ an unsurprisingly mandolin drenched beauty of a song and, given producer Linden’s connection with Bennett, it’s touching to see Bennett’s music given a further push. Andersen closes the album with a version of the Charlie Rich song ‘Feel Like Going Home’, stripped down to just vocals and piano it shows yet another side to the talented Canadian. There are too many sides to Andersen, especially on this latest collection to label him as a blues musician or ‘Coal Mining Blues’ as a blues album, there is so much more to this music and to the man that doing so is an injustice. The blues is there undoubtedly but that’s just one small part of ‘Coal Mining Blues’.

Track Listing:-

1 I Don't Wanna Give In
2 Fired Up
3 Coal Mining Blues
4 Lay It On The Line
5 Baby I'll Be
6 Make You Stay
7 Home Sweet Home
8 Heartbreaker
9 She Comes Down
10 Willie's Diamond Joe
11 I Work Hard For The Luxury
12 Feel Like Going Home

Band Links:-

https://www.facebook.com/Matt-Andersen-39153635945/
http://www.stubbyfingers.ca/
https://twitter.com/matt_andersen
https://www.youtube.com/user/mattandersenmusic
https://plus.google.com/110042744178258789590

Label Links:-

http://www.bustedflatrecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/BustedFlatRecords
https://twitter.com/BustedFlat
https://www.youtube.com/user/Bustedflatrecords
https://bustedflatrecords.bandcamp.com/

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