​Early James (from the album Medium Raw

​Early James (from the album Medium Raw

​Early James (from the album Medium Raw available on Easy Eye Sound) (by Bryant Liggett)
Everything about the latest from Early James is old-school cool. With a little push from producer Dan Auerbach (The Black Keys), Early James and his band took to a century old house in Nashville to record his latest release, Medium Raw. The aging house, and the 1950’s tube console they brought in for the recording, are the perfect setting and equipment to lend some historic ambience to Early James’s vintage sound. The result is something sounding like a classic Blues record but with a Punk Rock vibe, a record as new as tomorrow but also as old as the house where the recording took place. 
The opener in “Steely Knives” has dirty drive that sets the tone of Medium Raw, a tone that’s agressive and underproduced. “Tinfoil Hat” opens with a classic Rockabilly riff before treading into Trance Blues that nods to North Mississippi, with its video giving you a glance into that aforementioned makeshift studio. “Rag Doll” is bopping’ Boogie Blues, “Gravy Train” features fabulous guitar picking, and “I Could Just Die Right Now” is a slowed down ballad that screams heartache, complete with the wonderful admission of ‘I’m pretty good at singing the Blues’. This writers favorite is “Dig to China”, a take on Psychedelic Blues pushing past the five-minute mark.
With Dan Auerbach and others, including Langhorne Slim, sharing co-writing credits, Medium Raw is a lot done with a little and that’s glorious. It is a nod to simplicity, but that doesn’t mean sleepy, for the whole thing is a wonderful sound that packs a lot of punch.  (by Bryant Liggett)
Listen and buy the music of Early James from AMAZON
For more information, please visit the Early James website