Review: Alice Armstrong – Live At Area 88
Alice Armstrong – Live At Area 88
Format: CD – Digital / Label: Independent
Release: 2024
Text: Tom Wouters
With Alice Armstrong, the next strong blues vocalist is knocking on the door of the British blues scene. Although in Armstrong’s case it would be better to speak of banging on the door. The lady is blessed with a powerful soul voice, in which her idols such as Aretha Franklin, Etta James and Janis Joplin can be heard. It is not without reason that Alice Armstrong was chosen as Contemporary Blues Artist of the Year at this year’s UK Blues Awards.
And on the EP ‘Live At Area 88’ in Milton Keynes (UK) you can clearly hear why. Armstrong, who has suffered from light sensitivity (hence the sunglasses) and migraines since the age of 18 as a result of a serious car accident, has a great stage presence in addition to her soulful voice.
Together with her touring band, consisting of Olly Knight-Smith (guitar), Stevie Watts (organ), Josh Rigal (bass) and Kev Hickman (drums), Armstrong puts a lot of effort into the blues rock of Your Guess, the soulful Crystals & Pearls , the great ballad Life I Chose, in which the influence of Aretha Franklin on Armstrong’s vocals can be clearly heard and in which guitarist Knight-Smith excels, and the banging Upbeat Baby, in which Armstrong rages like a modern-day Janis Joplin.
The CD has another bonus track, which cannot be heard on the digital version, and that is the Aretha Franklin cover Rock Steady, which can also be seen on YouTube.
In all, Alice Armstrong presents herself at Live at Area 88 as a real rock diva from whom we expect to hear many beautiful things to come in the near future.
Tracks:
01. Your Guess (02:44)
02. Crystals & Pearls (03:08)
03. Life I Chose (04:35)
04. Upbeat Baby (05:01)
05. Rock Steady (03:30) (CD exclusive track!)