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| Husky Burnette album review in R/N/Z Magazine |
"What do you get when you take Husky Burnette and add in Buck Thrailkill, Rebel Roots Recording Studio, and the Rusty Knuckles J.B. Beverley,brand? There is only one correct answer… pure genius!!! You may recall one of my first reviews was of Husky’s EP entitled “Stripped” ; that album was great, but man has the ante been upped with “Tales from East End BLVD”. Rarely will I go on record as rating an album against another, but this is hands down the best record of the year thus far.
It’s not that often that a producer and an artist can come off as so copacetic, you really feel like this is the artist’s interpretation of his own sound as he hears it in his head. The sound is so thick and complex, and it does this without the over produced feel that generally comes along with that richness. “Tales from East End BLVD” is as effortless to sink into as a listener as they made it seem to play, keyword effortless, not careless, there is a ton of talent here. The album had been playing nonstop for a week while I was waiting for a break to write this, that kind of rotation alone says something for me.
What we have here are some heavy, rockin’ blues. Husky can really wail on his guitar, very complex playing with lots of notes coming through I all the right places. The fact that he can play like that while he sings, rather than playing almost rhythm while he sings then make the strings talk when he isn’t (like a lot of blues cats do) blows my mind. It’s gruff, gritty, distorted, and filled with liquor, women, and all the good stuff we love to hear about. I could listen for days if it was Husky Burnette and his guitar, with their perfect match of voice; but add into the mix J.B. Beverley on bass, a killer drum track, and a few other talented musicians that make a guest appearance or two and those days turn into who knows how long. You have a couple slower tracks int here that are just as good as the fasted tracks, and the emotion really seeps out of those into your very inner core. He breaks into Hendrix for a riff toward the end of “Work It”, the like of which I have never heard anyone get so hauntingly close while still playing his style. Come on Carolina “basically an outtake/campfire type of recording. It was 2am and we’d had a lot of moonshine and just decided to do it.
I am more pleased to say this whole album is one 12 track long gem. It was very highly anticipated, and with that kind of anxiousness it is easy to disappoint. Not this time guy. If you don’t know Husky Burnette you are really missing out, and this album shines like a diamond freshly cut from the rough. I recommend listening in order of the track list, but every track can stand up against whatever you want to throw at them on their own as well, It WILL blow y mind.
“Tales from East End BLVD. is the latest LP from blues rock artist Husky Burnette. It’s a 12 track album released by the Rusty Knuckles record label in August 20,13. The record was produced by J.B. Beverley and recorded by J.B. and Buck Thrailkill at Rebel Roots Studio in Fayetteville, NC. Husky added electric bass guitar to line up on this album, getting away from the two-man band, but still keeping it raw and dirty. He also has guest appearances such as J.B. Beverley on bass guitar duty and the final track, ” Come On Carolina”, features Shooter Jennings, Billy Don Burns, J.B. Beverley , Buck Thrailkill and Aaron Rodgers.” – Tales from East End Blvd. press release."
