Review: Altered Five Blues Band – Hammer & Chisel
Altered Five Blues Band – Hammer & Chisel
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: Blind Pig Records
Release: 2026
Text: Bert van Kessel
Originally known as The Altered Five, These guys from Milwaukee have given us their umadulterated rocking blues for 23 years now, Singer Jeff Taylor is huge and black and his powerful vocals are surely in line with that; he’s as impressive a frontman as they come. Guitar player Jeff Schroedl equals that power and energy. He alternates a catchy, chugging rhythm guitar with searing solos. Mark Solveson on bass and Alan Arber on drums constitute a rock solid rhythm section. Steve Huebler is a driving force on the keyboards. The album was again produced by Tom Hambridge and features the impressive Jason Ricci on harmonica in three songs.
After releasing a covers album in 2008 the quintet started writing their own songs and teamed up with producer Tom Hambridge; this resulted in a continuous flow of excellent albums and EPs, many of which garnered them awards and prizes. There was for example the award-winning song Great Minds Drink Alike. This one exemplifies the sense of humour that most tracks are imbued with.
This truly impressive album shows the listener right from the start what it’s all about; opening track I Got It Good is a powerfully rocking blues with a thumping bass and driving drums; energetic horns add a touch of merriment, and so does the fiery guitar solo. Dare Me To Do It is a convincing slow blues with a rollicking piano. Jason Ricci performs magic on the harmonica.
On the hard-driving Who Can You Trust Jeff Taylor’s vocal abilities take the track to great heights, helped out by Huebler’s propulsive organ. Here they prove it’s hard to find a tighter contemporary blues unit. They take their foot off the accelerator for another compelling slow blues Lotta Love Left In Me; Taylor’s emotional vocals get wonderful support from some dazzling piano. From then on they focus a bit more on their soul side with a pleasant pause with the solemn Hell or High Water The piano-driven The Crazy One leads up to the gentle, gospel-like closing track The Will Of Man, which again showcases some great vocals. Both jeff Schroedl and Steve Hoebler perform wonders on electric guitar and organ respectively. What a fitting finish to this great album.
The astonishing quality of this versatile album should not come as a surprise given the track record of these five guys. But it is definitely the best blues(rock) album I have heard this year; so guys, no alterations, please don’t change a thing!
Tracks:
01. I Got It Good
02. Dare Me To Do It
03. Who Can You Trust
04. Lotta Love Left In Me
05. Hammer & Chisel
06. Can’t Shake It
07. Headline Blues
08. Hell Or High Water
09. My Love Ain’t A Lie
10. Crazy One
11. The Will Of Man
Website: https://www.alteredfive.com/