The 12 songs on Rise are a great introduction to Eddie Turner, for those who have never heard him.

Like a cosmic blues invocation, a wall of sound exhorts the listener in the title tune, "Rise." And rise one certainly does. The plaintive and searing psychedelic blues number "Ask Myself Why" follows it, and then the delta syncopations of the instrumental track "The River" and the Mississippi sitar "Resurrection" track, which set my foot to dancing.

Jimi Hendrix certainly couldn't have done "The Wind Cries Mary" any better. "It's Me" is a driving meditative track, while "Gangster of Love" has a ZZ Top boogiewoogie feel. I really liked "Privileged Life," which is great voodoo rock, and "Play It Cool," a bitter bad-woman blues funk. A favorite is the gospel call song "Sin," and the in-your-face "Confusion Illusion" reminded me a little of Steve Miller ... but way better. Turner touches on different styles but all the while his music seems to be scratching at the sky, pulling the cosmos closer to us through music. I loved this album.

Additional musicians are Alex Maryol and David Givens on guitars, Anna Givens on vocals in "Rise" and "Secret," Devilboy on harmonies and Tim Stroh & Michael Chavez on loop programming.

by Carole McDonnell
Rambles.NET
15 April 2006