The Forrest McDonald Band
Turnaround Blues
World Talent Records
Forrest McDonald
isn’t a household name, but you’ve heard his work. That guitar solo in Bob
Seger’s 'Old Time Rock ‘n’ Roll'? That’s Forrest McDonald. He’s also played with the
likes of Bobby Womack, Bonnie Bramlett and Jimmy Reed, jammed with Van Halen
and released a slew of blues/rock records off his own bat. He’s got the chops,
even a cursory listen to Turnaround Blues, his latest, confirms that.
Immersed deep
within that Texas blues sound made so famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn, McDonald
still manages to keep things fresh over the course of the album’s 14 tracks.
Songs like the soft 'I’m A Fool' and the gospel-like 'River Of Tears' intersperse
foot-to-the-floor rock ‘n’ rollers – the title track burns; 'R&R By Bye Bye' chugs and grinds; 'Funny Thing Baby' rumbles along, all showcasing McDonald’s
impressive guitar prowess.
While Turnaround
Blues could be a little more cohesive (sometimes the placement of the slower
numbers abruptly halts the thread), it’s solid work from a man who knows the
blues/rock score, and who applies it with taste and style.
3/5
Samuel J. Fell
