[TR24][OF] Samantha Fish - Belle Of The West - 2017 (Blues-Rock)

2017 release from the blues singer, songwriter and guitarist. Fish recorded Belle of the West in the relaxed, rural creative atmosphere of the legendary Zebra Ranch Studios in the North Hills of Mississippi with producer Luther Dickinson (of North Mississippi Allstars fame), with whom she worked previously on her 2015 album "Wild Heart". The studio team included some of the region's most iconoclastic musicians, including Dickinson, solo artist and Jack White associate Lillie Mae, much-traveled juke-joint blues artist Lightnin' Malcolm, Squirrel Nut Zippers founder Jimbo Mathus, upright bassist and beloved solo artist Amy LaVere, Tikyra Jackson, Trina Raimey and Shardé Thomas, granddaughter of the legendary Southern bluesman Otha Turner.
Another direction for this complex artist from Kansas City. This album explores a roots/Americana feel with help from Luther Dickinson and Zebra Ranch. Not one to fear the reaction, this is a change for the power-trio leader to bandleader to now, the women from the backwoods. This album is raw without regret. Her vocal power is well displayed while the addition of fiddle and other instruments add a unique texture to this release. And Samantha can always tear it up on guitar.
Whether one leans towards the blues, opts for Americana or ignites some special fervour by playing with a garage band, there’s a common bond that suggests a reverence for the roots. Looking back towards an earlier template – no matter what the genre – proves the point that appreciating what came before can be a stepping stone for what comes next.