Review: Ian Siegal Meets Johnny Mastro – Easy Tiger
Ian Siegal Meets Johnny Mastro – Easy Tiger
Format: CD
Label: Continental Blue Heaven – Continental Record Services
Release: 2024
Text: Tom Wouters
Years ago, when they both signed for the Nugene record label, British rootsy blues singer/guitarist Ian Siegal and New Orleans-based harmonica man Johnny Mastro met each other. Both have been touring the world for over 20 years. Siegal as a solo artist who impresses with his whiskey-soaked voice and his enormous stage presence and Mastro, who creates an incredibly raw, dirty and dangerous sound with his band. Both men have now decided to join forces during an intense throwback rough and tumble recording session in New Orleans, live in the studio.
And from the start it is clear: no compromises are made here. On ‘Easy Tiger’ Siegal’s voice and guitar blend perfectly with Mastro’s dirty and vintage band sound.
From opener Four On The Floor this band goes loose, challenging Siegal’s vocals to the limit. As a listener you imagine yourself in a dark and filthy watering hole, whiskey bottles and fists flying around and a band that shows no mercy. It’s a sound that reminds you of that stunning debut album by The Red Devils. Siegal’s voice blooms in the tracks with a little bit room like the vocals/mouth harp duet No Mercy and his own Emperor’s New Clothes, the only track with an almost clean sound. Furthermore, the sound is dirty and distorted as in Tall And Tight, Miss Your Cadillac and Quick To The Gun. Dirty are also the three closing tracks Who ‘re In Church (a pun, necessary to circumvent the prudish American censorship?) with the chorus ‘I’m sweating like a whore in church’, Don’t Cry No More and Oedipussy.
Easy Tiger presents Ian Siegal and Johnny Mastro in full glory. You won’t get it dirtier than this!
Tracks:
01. Four On The Floor
02. Balling The Jack
03. Baby You Can Get Your Gun
04. No Mercy
05. Dog Won’t Hunt
06. Tail and Tight
07. Miss Your Cadillac
08. Quick To The Gun
09. Emperor’s New Clothes
10. Wineheaded
11. Who’re In Church
12. I Won’t Cry No More
13. Oedipuss
Website:
https://iansiegal.com/
https://www.johnnymastro.com/