The Bad Day Blues Band – Table By The Wall: Album Review

By Howard King on 8th February 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

If you like your blues raw, brash and dynamic this is the album for you. After winning Best New Blues Band in the 2019 Digital Blues Awards, The Bad Day Blues Band release an explosive, frenetic album in Table By The Wall.

Release date: 9th February 2021

Label: Lunaria Records

Format: CD / Digital

This new UK group has been deservedly racking up awards. As well the aforementioned Best New Blues Band they have been recognised as Artist of the Month for Dec 2019 by Madison Square Garden Company and Voice Of The Blues for June 2019 by Orange amplifiers.

The album kicks off (although boots you in the bum might be a better description) with their arrangement of the well-known soul number, Hold On I’m Coming by Sam & Dave. Detonating might be more appropriate! Fiery harmonica playing from Sam Sprunger is a huge feature on this album. The wailing solos and riffs which shake you to the core are very reminiscent of the distorted harp effects commonly found with early seventies rock blues players. The amazing effects on Stop make you think it’s a keyboard solo rather than a harmonica.

From hearing this particular brand of blues at many a festival the incoherent vocals and ear-splitting racket often ruins the performance but the excellent mixing and production make lead singer Adam Rigg’s vocals, sometimes gravelly sometimes soulfully smooth and even as on ‘Be Careful What You Wish For’ choral, crystal clear

There is a sackful of exciting, catchy guitar riffs from Nick Peck which leave you drooling. Rhythm section, Andrea Tremolada on drums and Adam Rigg on bass, make the term ‘driving force’ inadequate – rocket powered at warp factor 10 more like. I urge you not to play this in the car or you’ll pick up points quicker than this high-speed compilation of high-energy rock blues.

At the hands of producer Chris Bolster (Foo Fighters, Oasis and Paul McCartney) the individual skills of each instrumentalist showcase the various songwriting styles ranging from pure blues, through country-rock and soul.

The Bad Day Blues Band’s live reputation is gaining them many fans as well after two consecutive appearances at The Isle Of Wight Festival. Previous to that they erupted onto the scene at Times Square in New York City with double Grammy Award winner Delbert McClinton.

This album will hopefully increase the band’s profile and the current situation will not stunt their popularity. I look forward to them appearing at the many blues festivals around the country once everything is back up and running. If you do manage to see a performance next year hold onto your hat because these guys will blow it off your head and you’ll love every minute of it!