Same Old Blues, The

Plucking the blues aesthetic of American R&B and the lazy, hard rock feel of the Faces and the Rolling Stones, Proud Mary makes beautiful music on their Sour Mash Records debut, The Same Old Blues. It's an acoustic-driven album, and songs such as the melodically wounded "Somewhere Down the Line" and personal reflection of "Don't It All Look Ugly" showcase Proud Mary's strong effort to steer clear of manufactured Brit-pop. They compose their own intricate retro sound, allowing The Same Old Blues to shape itself into a timeless sound. "Give a Little Love" swoons over singer/songwriter Greg Griffin's gritty vocals and Paul Newsome's layered guitar work, whereas "Very Best Friend" highlights a plugging, jaunty sound. Proud Mary's rendition of the Rolling Stones' "Salt of the Earth" echoes the heartache of Mick Jagger's lyrical stories. It's a fine moment for Proud Mary, for they're their own band, free from mimicking the earlier musical statesmen. The Same Old Blues, which might go unnoticed in the U.S., is a U.K. treasure for 2001. It's musically romantic in the vein of Richard Ashcroft's solo work and Neil Young, and refreshing inside pop music of the new millennium. ~ MacKenzie Wilson|