Review: Shemekia Copeland – Blame It On Eve
Shemekia Copeland – Blame It On Eve
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: Alligator Records
Release: 2024
Text: Tom Wouters
Shemekia Copeland established her name as The First Lady of the Blues with her last three albums ‘America’s Child’ (2018), ‘Uncivil War’ (2020) and ‘Done Come Too Far’ (2022) and firmly confirms that title with her new album ‘Blame It On Eve’. Copeland does not shy away from heavy social themes, but also the more cheerful matters, such as fun, love and party, are discussed on Blame It On Eve in another beautifully varied blues album, again produced by producer and multi- instrumentalist Will Kimbrough.
The opening songs of the album show Copeland as a singer who sings the blues with a bite. In the title song Blame It On Eve (about women’s rights) and Tough Mother (about urban violence), guitarist Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All Stars) provides the extra bite. Broken High Heels (about climate change) is also blues with a bite, just like Tell The Devil (to go to hell). Earthier matters are discussed in Wine O’Clock, in which Copeland turns to alcohol to avoid the daily grind, and in Only Miss You All The Time she sings about her broken heart in a phenomenal way, accompanied only by Kimbrough’s guitar.
Copeland also pushes the boundaries of her musical scope again on ‘Blame It On Eve.’ For example, Americana star Alejandro Escovedo is her duet partner in Is There Anybody Up There and we hear bluegrass lap steel master Jerry Douglas shine quite bluesy in Cadillac Blue. We also hear Douglas on dobro in the beautiful Tee Tot Payne, which tells the story of the poor street musician who taught the young white man Hank Williams to play the blues. The album closes with Down On Bended Knee by Shemekia’s father Johnny Copeland and the not too optimistic Heaven Help Us All (the mighty and the small).
‘Blame It On Eve’ is the fourth consecutive album with which Shemekia Copeland proves to be one of the greats of contemporary blues.
Tracks:
01. Blame It On Eve
02. Tough Mother
03. Only Miss You All The Time
04. Broken High Heels
05. Wine O’clock
06. Is There Anybody Up There?
07. Cadillac Blue
08. Belle Sorciere
09. Tell The Devil
10. Tee Tot Payne
11. Down On Bended Knee
12. Heaven Help Us All
Website: https://www.shemekiacopeland.com/