ROOTSTIME
Things may not work with the Greek monetary situation and this perhaps, is a good reason for the people to get the blues. Witness the new album from Small Blues Trap, a band that caught our attention a few years back and since then we tend to follow. They knew immediately charmed us when their 2008 "Crossroad Ritual" album was released and sent to us for review. This was mainly due to the distinctive voice of Paul Karapiperis, which sounds like Waits at his most bluesy songs.
Sometime later, the solo album of Paul was released titled: "Fifteen Rain Drops In An Ocean Of Blues". The album has a soundtrack character and features without losing its blues influences. Greeks are not new to the emotions that the blues music triggers. Like the Portuguese who have their own version of the blues called “fado”, the Greeks have their Rembetica" which is the pure Greek version of the blues. We must also remember that some great blues artists were of Greek descent like Nick Gravenites, the less known Alexis Korner and even Johnny Otis. So the foundation is there. However, these guys managed to make a purer blues album based more on the American roots.
If we compare the three releases of the band so far, this is definitely the best, because first and foremost it is more based on pure blues music which was missing from their previous work as we have mentioned before. The previous CD was more experimental but the new one is more bluesy and well played. The voice and the excellent harmonica of Paul Karapiperis constitute the driving force of the music the band plays. However, in this particular album, the guitarist Panagiotis Daras seems to employ the guitar riffs and solos of another great guitarist he rather seems to admire, Mark Knopfler. Listen to the track «Seven Plus" and you know what I mean. The rhythm section of Besios Lefteris (bass) and Stathis Evageliou (drums) provide an ideal base from which Paul and Panagiotis can unfold and exhibit their great composing abilities.
The Small Blues Trap Above are able to create a beautiful atmosphere with their songs, and with this new CD, they prove that can play and work on projects without the need of gimmicks and sound effects. Therefore, we can only note that this "Red Snakes & Bats Cave" is a wonderful, atmospheric blues album. Besides, Rembetica, Greece has the opportunity to enjoy the sounds of Delta and Chicago Blues by a native band that can make everyone there be very proud of. The Small Blues Trap.
Ronny BervoetsSOUNDGUARDIAN(THE BLUES CORNER)
The Blues Corner last year introduced for the first time the singer and harpist Paul Karapiperis after the release of his personal album “Fifteen Raindrops In An Ocean Of Blues Tales”. It was then that I mentioned for the first time the name of the band “Small Blues Trap”. Today is the 12th June 2010 and now for the first time I am presenting the new album “Red Snakes & Cave Bats” of that blues band who comes from Greece and records at the Shelter Home Studio.
Small Blues Trap was founded in 2004 and quickly gained popularity as a prominent blues band in Greece. At the end of 2004 they released their first album that included 12 songs and was titled “Our Trap.” In 2006, they recorded the “Crossroad Ritual” which was released and distributed by Anazitisi Records. In May 2007, the band participated with two tracks in an album released by “Diapason” magazine.
In September 2008, the band participated with three songs in the Magic Bus Sessions, a compilation of songs arranged and played by several Greek blues bands. In April 2010, the Small Blues Trap presented their new album titled “ Red Snakes & Cave Bats” that contained 12 brand new songs. This time, the band included the song “Buy a dog” that was first composed and played by Mr. Elias Zaikos, the front man of the most popular Greek band called the BLUES WIRE.
The new album is a really good one with a rich sound and arrangements drawing from the treasures of traditional blues that we all know.
Although thousands of miles away from the primordial roots of this distinctive musical style, the new CD of the Small Blues Trap, you will certainly be a pleasant surprise to anyone who wants to hear some blues expressively presented. Expressive, very sensitive and luxurious in terms of presentation, reveal form of presentation reveals their common determination to the traditional values of this otherwise very demanding blues direction.
Yes, I know many are just too inclined to listen to traditional blues, some like to say that it is important to stick to tradition without any variations. However, this doesn’t seem to be a problem for me. Indeed, I am personally very fond of this particular CD.
Although the album does contain traditional elements, one might hear sounds that remind him the good old Dire Straits, or perhaps Chris Rea and Joe Cocker as Paul's singing capabilities enable him to show such a resemblance.
Undoubtedly, this very original presentation certainly stands out significantly from the average. Well, we have here with us in Croatia, a similar example, when the band goes beyond mediocrity, and goes beyond all limits as desired knocking on the door of international recognition. Surely, this may seem like an unattainable goal, but musicians should always strive towards a better, more significant and in any case feasible goal every time they attempt something new.
Each of the recorded songs on the album “Red Snakes & Cave Bats” Small Blues Trap is unique in terms of the special atmosphere it creates and sometimes it deviates a lot from what someone would call a blues atmosphere. It contains traditional, acoustic elements as well as some very strong and modern sounds which bring about respect for this Greek blues band.
Nevertheless, the band’s music roots, is the blues despite the fact that this particular band dares to improvise and get inspired by other musical genres as well. Some people ,on the other hand, believe that once they have discovered the richness and the depth of the blues, they can move on to different directions. What this band does is to narrate emotional stories that may not be very attractive to someone looking for something else as the blues requires a deep understanding of emotions.
In the end, I wish to point out the albums highlights in my humble opinion and which I believe, are worth the listener’s attention: Mr. Jack, The Sky Will Always Be Blue, This Train Is Full Of Madness, It's True, Seven plus .... The Last Part Of The Show, a brilliant boogie It Took Me A Long Time, Roy B. impressive, excellent electric blues The World Is Painted Blue Again, the acoustic Surely My Body Gets the Message, and finally, the version of the great song “Buy A Dog”.
RECOMMENDATION:
If music is the universal language, and it is, then the album Red Snakes & Cave Bats - Small Blues Trap is an ideal example of how this great 'gang', although very, very far from the Mississippi Delta mud plays its music.
If blues is a universal language and it is, then, there are all these dialects, dialects, which will also be recognized by the many, and after a little effort, these sounds won’t seem strange at all.
Personally, I will simply do not wish to negatively criticize them but to encourage them. I do that with all the obviously talented blues musicians, and Small Blues Trap guys certainly are that. And so, look for a comfortable chair, pour a glass of red wine, Close your eyes and let yourself, let the blues flood you. ... Believe me, the blues is the kind of music that never lies!
Mladen Lončar
