The Johnny Max Band - Roadhouse Soul (2016)

A Johnny Max Band performance has always proven to be a hugely entertaining rockin’ and reelin’ event featuring great music punctuated with a good dose of humour. Over the course of 6 critically acclaimed and commercially accepted releases, Max and his partners have succeeded in bringing the musical goods and charm of their live shows into their studio work as well. The tradition endures on arguably Max’s best release to date, Roadhouse Soul.

Max, long a practitioner of sidestepping the accepted and confining boundaries of traditional blues, continues to stay true to his musical vision on this outing. That vision is a swampy blend of blues and R&B, or “Roadhouse Soul” as he calls it, that borrows more from R&B found south of the Mason Dixon line than it does from traditional blues. But the real magic is that Max can take the various influences – and there are a few of them here – and distill them to take you through the bumps and the grinds of a varied musical landscape.

The 10 originals spotlight all of the elements that provide Roadhouse Soul its enduring appeal: straightforward vocals, insightful songwriting, tight ensemble playing, and that unmistakable swing that keeps your body moving. Of note is the title track, a driving, unabashed, all out rocker complete with a frat boy chorus that just invites you to sing along. But don’t write off the entire collection as a one trick guitar driven effort or your sensibilities will be shaken with numbers displaying different styles and intonations that provide both an emotional and creative depth. Namely: Americana Pop (“Lend A Helping Hand”), Uptown Funk (“I’m Your 9-1-1”), a Tom Waits infused ballad (“I Wish I Could Write You A Love Song”), and Cajun Jazz (“We’ve Been Together For Such A Long Time”).

Primary songwriters are Johnny Max and Kevin Vienneau who also double as producers of the disc. And all is laid down by Max’s fine band: Kevin Vienneau (guitars, mandolin, & vocals), Rob Gusevs (keys), Russ Boswell (bass), Jim Casson (drums), Quisha Wint (background vocals).