Review by Roger Mollinder, Blues Journal.
’Til I Hear You Talkin’ was released on CD and vinyl 2012 by Waxy Records (Waxy 006-V)
Adam Franklin-Guitar, Ukulele & Vocals.
Matt Bezants-harp, Bob Turner-Mandolin and Ernest Roberts-guitar on 'Swing Sweetie'.
In my book the British artist Adam Franklin should be a national treasure, it should be Sir Adam Franklin! I’ll have a few words with Queen Elizabeth on this matter.
Seriously speaking, I do believe that this great artist like so many others does not get as much attention as he deserves. The genre acoustic/unplugged blues is very narrow and I wish it could be wider. This is real music played by real musicians who’s trying to make a living, doing what they love, doing that they are burning for.
I am very impressed by Adam Franklin. He is the real deal. What a superb guitarist, ukulele player and singer he is. How I wish I could play like him. I also have to say that he is a very good song writer; seven of the songs are
written by Adam.
Unfortunately there are a lot of listeners out there who are stuck with what I call dead music made up by record companies who wants to brain wash their listeners, making them believe that the music they are selling is the only one existing. Everything can be sold with the right kind of commercial.
Think outside the box and go out there and find new music, new artists, you might find them just around the corner.
Check Adam Franklin out at: http://www.adamfranklinblues.com/index.html because he sure is worth it.
Matt Bezants-harp, Bob Turner-Mandolin and Ernest Roberts-guitar on 'Swing Sweetie'.
In my book the British artist Adam Franklin should be a national treasure, it should be Sir Adam Franklin! I’ll have a few words with Queen Elizabeth on this matter.
Seriously speaking, I do believe that this great artist like so many others does not get as much attention as he deserves. The genre acoustic/unplugged blues is very narrow and I wish it could be wider. This is real music played by real musicians who’s trying to make a living, doing what they love, doing that they are burning for.
I am very impressed by Adam Franklin. He is the real deal. What a superb guitarist, ukulele player and singer he is. How I wish I could play like him. I also have to say that he is a very good song writer; seven of the songs are
written by Adam.
Unfortunately there are a lot of listeners out there who are stuck with what I call dead music made up by record companies who wants to brain wash their listeners, making them believe that the music they are selling is the only one existing. Everything can be sold with the right kind of commercial.
Think outside the box and go out there and find new music, new artists, you might find them just around the corner.
Check Adam Franklin out at: http://www.adamfranklinblues.com/index.html because he sure is worth it.
'Til I Hear You Talkin' one of Blues in The South's Top 30 albums of 2012!
ADAM FRANKLIN - ‘til I Hear You Talkin’
(Vinyl and/or CD)
WAXY RECORDS-Waxy006-v
More than a few years ago, on the now defunct Kicking Mule record label, there was a string of guitar music LPs featuring some of the world’s best fingerstyle guitar players, the likes of Lasse Johansson, Woody Mann, Roy Bookbinder, John James, George Gritzbach and many more. The music was a mixture of blues, Piedmont style ragtime, guitar arrangements of Scott Joplin rags and quirky novelty guitar pieces. This album reminds me strongly of that stuff.
Adam Franklin is an accomplished finger picker and slide player who turns his hands (pun) to all of the above styles, and then some. Not only blues (there is a masterful rendition of Robert Johnson’s “From Four ‘til Late”) but some seriously jazzy picking on “Swing Sweetie” (which feels like a Cab Calloway tune) and on which he finger picks a uke. On many of the tracks, Adam is accompanied by Matt Bezants on harmonica to great effect, as for example, on the fabulous “Tuckin’ With My Baby” and is occasionally joined by Bob Turner on mandolin as in the Sleepy John Estes sounding “Trying To Make A Living.” But don’t be misled by that. It may sound like Mr Estes and his gang, but it’s all Adam. Many of the songs and tunes were written by him and they manage to be both old and fresh at the same time. Quite an achievement.
Go to: www.adamfranklinblues.com/music.html to hear some of the music before you buy. But buy it you must. Strongly recommended for the acoustic player inside you!
Ian Mckenzie, Editor, Blues in the South Magazine.
(Vinyl and/or CD)
WAXY RECORDS-Waxy006-v
More than a few years ago, on the now defunct Kicking Mule record label, there was a string of guitar music LPs featuring some of the world’s best fingerstyle guitar players, the likes of Lasse Johansson, Woody Mann, Roy Bookbinder, John James, George Gritzbach and many more. The music was a mixture of blues, Piedmont style ragtime, guitar arrangements of Scott Joplin rags and quirky novelty guitar pieces. This album reminds me strongly of that stuff.
Adam Franklin is an accomplished finger picker and slide player who turns his hands (pun) to all of the above styles, and then some. Not only blues (there is a masterful rendition of Robert Johnson’s “From Four ‘til Late”) but some seriously jazzy picking on “Swing Sweetie” (which feels like a Cab Calloway tune) and on which he finger picks a uke. On many of the tracks, Adam is accompanied by Matt Bezants on harmonica to great effect, as for example, on the fabulous “Tuckin’ With My Baby” and is occasionally joined by Bob Turner on mandolin as in the Sleepy John Estes sounding “Trying To Make A Living.” But don’t be misled by that. It may sound like Mr Estes and his gang, but it’s all Adam. Many of the songs and tunes were written by him and they manage to be both old and fresh at the same time. Quite an achievement.
Go to: www.adamfranklinblues.com/music.html to hear some of the music before you buy. But buy it you must. Strongly recommended for the acoustic player inside you!
Ian Mckenzie, Editor, Blues in the South Magazine.