Daniel De Vita – Lost in Translation: Album Review

By Howard King on 26th July 2021 • ( Leave a comment )

Daniel De Vita shows us the full range of his experimental guitar and production skills with his tight Argentinian unit on this new Lunaria Records release Lost In Translation.

Release date: 30th July 2021

Label: Lunaria Records

Format: CD / Digital

This album is like being transported back to the late ’60s when guitarists like Eric Clapton and Peter Green were making their name in the world of blues. Having already been introduced to Daniel’s outstanding blues licks through his single and video release Every Time I’m Close To You we can now witness in more detail the full breadth of his talents.

Amazingly, Lost In Translation was recorded live in a one-day session, with only vocal overdubs. The tightness of the band comes through loud and clear this album showcases a band that has truly gelled, each performer contributing their own style.

Aware of his own English speaking limitations the vocals will develop in the future but then again under the leadership of John Mayall, our British legends were allowed to make theirs more prominent as the Father of British blues was also not the strongest vocally.

His songs cover a variety of themes including love and heartbreak as expected but also contemporary issues such as human bonding and mental illness. The opening track has already been covered elsewhere, the upbeat mood is maintained especially with some cool harp work and keyboards wallowing in the rear making this track. A more soulful Sand Between Your Fingers has a wall of synth before the controlled mayhem at the end.

Daniel’s ability to blend Latin rhythms and deep south blues styles and experiment are prominent on the cover of Black Chicken 37. An infectious repetitive rhythm is accentuated by some glorious keyboard work and a variety of guitar effects. Get your shuffling shoes on to romp along to She Claps On The 1 & 3 with little variation from roots blues sound with some honky piano to boot.

Daniel throws the kitchen sink at Breaking the Praise, distorted chords and wailing solo but it’s highly listenable exciting and original stuff that separates him from the others as he creates a sound all of his own, which I hope he continues to expand on in the future. Whereas 6 Years Blues and California Rocket Fuel might appeal to the more purist blues follower it also shows he can pay homage to blues roots and also engineer creative and unique sounds.

The album closes with the Vaughan Brothers instrumental, D/FW. A bouncing rocker with some inspirational guitar soloing, backed by Raffetta’s reedy organ sound. The whole band tightly bonds together in this exuberant finale.

To sum up, it’s rather like the introduction to those old comedies on the radio where the announcer says this was recorded in 1950 and reflects the attitudes of the day. This album actually sounds like it was recorded in the ’60s and reflects the attitude of their day i.e: sparkling and vigorous and not like some of today’s music – repetitive, dull and overrated.

Let’s have more Daniel, you are a breath of fresh air!