CD Review: "Heavy Days" by Mambo Sons

by Mark Rabuffo.

Heavy Days, the newest CD from Mambo Sons, is a two-disc collection of songs steeped in the classic blues-rock tradition, but with the Sons’ own flair. They wield a veritable Mambo stew of influences, including early '70s Stones, Mott the Hoople, Free, Cream and countless others. Heavy Days features the kind of music that used to get a lot of airplay and harkens back to the days of the classic double-LP a la Exile on Main Street. The bottom line: This is a collection of great songs that deserves to be heard.

Mambo Sons are Tom Guerra on guitars and vocals, Scott Lawson on bass and vocals, and Joe “The Cat” Lemieux on drums and vocals, with very special guest Matt Zeiner providing Hammond, piano, clavinet, and Wurlitzer on several tracks.

The record consists of two discs, each with ten songs. Disc one starts with “She Just Wants to Ride,” a classic summer driving song. The melody is catchy and the chorus will migrate to the long-term memory center of your brain. “The Only Woman” is up next, featuring meaty bass from Lawson and a “drooly” talkbox solo. “Blues for Zanny” features tasteful ensemble work by Lawson and Lemieux and some brilliant E-bow work by guitarist Guerra. This is dedicated to Suzanne Gaudet, and is a poignant piece celebrating the fragility of the human body and the resilience of the human spirit.

“Blues for Zanny” also functions as an intro to “The Early Train,” a highlight of disc one, which details Scott Lawson’s journey to Eastend, Saskatchewan, as resident artist. The next track, “Overend Watts,” is a rollicking tribute to the Mott the Hoople bassist, followed by “Everyday (Brighter Times),” an up-tempo rocker featuring some great slide guitar. Acoustic rocker “Love is Strange” is next, followed by “Single City,” a sizzling, Free-style blues rocker incorporating searing blues licks, a tight, thunderous rhythm section, and great vocals by Scott Lawson – another highlight. “The Devil’s Kin” follows – a heavy rocker featuring great bass licks by Lawson, in the pocket drumming by Lemieux and a shredding solo (complete with two-hand tapping) by Guerra. “Heavy Days” closes out disc one, and this is truly a memorable song – dedicated to a lost friend. You can feel the passion in the vocals, the melody weaving itself into your soul while the instruments provide tasteful support, culminating in a heartfelt solo by Guerra. Frank Lucchesi would be proud.

Disc two opens with “Once in Awhile,” dedicated to John Lennon and featuring nice Hammond work by Matt Zeiner. Another memorable melody here, with great lyrics and ensemble support and nice Leslie work by Guerra. “I Love My Family” is the Sons foray into funk, followed by “You Got Me Fallin’.” One of my favorites, this has a cool hook, great lyrics and vocals, tight drumming and some sweet slide work - this song is the total package. “Waiting For My Ship To Come In” features lead vocals by Guerra over a swampy, Danelectro-slide groove and I soon found myself drifting to a place somewhere south of Lake Ponchartrain.

Up next is “Friday Night Wine,” a sweet ballad featuring more soulful vocals by Lawson and excellent Hammond work by Matt Zeiner. “All Men Are Pigs” is a send-up of Mr. Robert Zimmerman in the electric blues vein, complete with hilarious lyrics, followed up by “Song for a Rugger” dedicated to a friend of the Sons suffering from ALS. A cover of Jimi Hendrix’s “Stone Free,” recorded live at Street Fest in Willimantic, Connecticut, follows and showcases the Sons’ skill as a live act. “A Fifth of Twelve,” the next track, is a showcase for Guerra’s formidable guitar skills as he navigates around the circle of fifths while Lawson and Lemieux lay down the foundation. “So Wonderful” closes out disc two, and oozes a mid-'70s Bowie vibe. A rock-solid riff and a serious vocal attitude, combined with a nasty solo by Guerra, leave the listener satisfied but wanting more. This is by far the best Mambo Sons release yet.

For information on where to buy this and other Mambo Sons CDs, visit www.mambosons.com. The site also provides Tom and Scott’s comments on the making of Heavy Days, sample MP3s, and detailed notes for each song.

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