Bernie Clarke & The Rhythm Sharks
Love Recession
Burning Bridge Records 02001
2002
(65'08")

From the very beginning of It Takes Time that starts the album, you know you ain't gonna get bored with this CD. Good old electric blues, the kind that makes beer flow from the tap in live music bars as much as it leaves the musicians soaken wet with their own sweat. Because it's very clear : these guys just go for it. Although easily labelled real blues, any academism disappears behind the obvious commitment of this band à la Nighthawks. It's a tight group with a rhythm section made of concrete, the kind that can resist the worst tsunamis, on which the harmonica and superb singing of Bernie Clarke can proceed like movie stars on the Cannes film festival red carpet. Not to mention Seth Rochford's guitar playing. The man's skills are just as remarkable wether he plays solo, rhythm or these little fills that bring a smile to the amateur's face. Add Dan "Cato" Eaton as a guest on piano, organ and sax to the rest of them and here you have a band that should be able to start a riot among the tightest audiences. Seth Rochmond also sings, here on Good Luck, Bad Luck and Married Man, two of his own compositions, and it is surprising to hear such an almost juvenile tone of voice while he is the band member who cultivates the most the ol'fart's looks. As for their style, the Rhythm Sharks have many, for they allow themselves the addition of an exotic Tex Mex tune between a Chicago Blues and a boogie jump à la William Clarke, before they let themselves go into some kind of laid back shuffle that will make you snap your fingers while you moan with pleasure. The only odd track could be the cover of I Can See Clearly, but it gets a slow rock, end of the 60's, beginning of the 70's Rolling Stones style treatment here. So it's up to you to decide : if you enjoy your Jagger/Richard minus 30, 35 years, you should like this song too. But if you don't, one track out of fifteen shouldn't be sufficient to overlook a CD that for the main part is filled to the top with an energy that should be heard on CD's more often. Georgia Slop alone, at the end of the album, should be enough to blow your blues away for quite a while, leaving you breathless and maybe a little dizzy too, with nothing else to do but to press that "play" button again so you can treat yourself to another helping of this good fat rocking blues the Rhythm Sharks play for you. Not convinced yet ? Well, just pay a visit to http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/rhythmsharks and listen to the audio clips.

René Malines