​Tinsley Ellis (from the album Labor of Love

​Tinsley Ellis (from the album Labor of Love

​Tinsley Ellis (from the album Labor of Love available on Alligator Records) (by Danny McCloskey) 
 
Singing a request for Soul food, Tinsley Ellis lists his food choices over a rumble of rhythm, making sure to include “Sweet Iced Tea” with his order. A tangle of finger-picked notes create a sturdy foundation when the singer voices his displeasure with matters of the heart in “The Trouble with Love” as a foot-tap drives the beat over a flurry of notes that sparkle and flicker around “Low Land of Sorrow”. The cuts can be found on Labor of Love, the recent release from Tinsley Ellis. Schooled in a distinctly southern style of the Blues, his songs are, however, different points on a map of The South. His technique shows the influence of Texas Bluesmen Clarence ‘Gatemouth’ Brown, Freddie King, and Stevie Ray Vaughan as much as praying at the altar of Memphis’ gritty Soul. 
 
A caffeinated beat propels the tale of “Sad, Sad Song” while a swamp groove rises up like mist on water to introduce “Hoodoo Woman” as the playing hushes to whisper the story in “To A Hammer”. A heartbeat thump is the dedicated beat the travels across “Sunnyland”, Tinsley Ellis plucking out an acoustic rhythm to carry the message of love in “Whole Wide World”, and leading a parade of rattling riffs for the claims of “Too Broke”. Carrying his woes like a weight, Tinsley Ellis finds himself all alone in “I’d Rather be Saved” as Labor of Love cites a history of poor choices stretching back to Adam and Eve days with the line ‘it’s a long time, keep on bitin’ on the same old thing’ for “Long Time” before making an exit on the hurried rhythms of “Lay My Burden Down”. (by Danny McCloskey)
 
Listen and buy the music of Tinsley Ellis from AMAZON
 
Please visit the Tinsley Ellis website for more information