(Blues) Manhattan Rob - Bad Passenger - 2012, MP3, 320 kbps

Manhattan Rob’s premiere CD release, “Bad Passenger” is a raucous and rootsy collection of Blues, Folk and Traditional tunes with deep dance grooves, upbeat rhythms and some words to think about.
#777Bad Passenger starts off with a steamroller rendition of the Elmore James classic “Shake Your Moneymaker”, served up with a vicious dance groove that just won’t quit.
Rob then slides into the seductive, self-penned “What You Do To Me”, with a saucy groove, smooth vocals and a swingin’ rhythm.
This is Manhattan Rob. Like some over-caffeinated Burl Ives with a Telecaster, or maybe a crusty Jim Morrison, he comes out of the East Coast roadhouses and honky tonks. All the while, crooning & howlin’ his unique spin on the roots genres.
Singer/songwriter, Walsh’s rhythmic vocals stand up front on this CD, keeping hold of the listener as he weaves through his writings and interpretations. His vocal style ranges from “rough and growling”, to a smooth “rat-pack vibrato”. The music has danceable grooves that hold up the sound, which varies from a churning hypnotic pulse to rollicking shuffles. All of it rocks.
Manhattan Rob’s interpretations of “If I Had A Hammer” and Dylan’s “Wicked Messenger” are offered up as rockin’ covers of these folk music classics, which complimente overall lyrical flow of this CD. Walsh’s treatment of The Reverend Gary Davis’ “Keep Your Lamps Trimmed & Burning” is a certain crowd pleaser, as it segues into the traditional Spiritual “Motherless Child”.
Manhattan Rob’s original offerings reveal his familiarity with living and loving in these times. He serves up a nice ballad of biker love with “Ride With Me” and a trucker’s blues in “Eighteen Wheels”. The frustration of unemployment and paying’ the bills is echoed in “Hey Boss Man” and “Last Stand”.
In spite of an undercurrent of good old American protest music, “Bad Passenger” is a generally upbeat offering. A nice sense of urgency and abandon comes across in the performances, giving it a dynamic and genuine feeling.