Sugar Ray & The Bluetones Seeing Is Believing (CD)

(2016/Severn) 12 tracks.
With the power of a gale force wind, Sugar Ray and the Bluetones new album Seeing is Believing blows out of our speakers, blowing with a groove so transcendent that it propels us higher and higher out of ourselves. The band-Monster Mike Welch on guitars, Anthony Geraci on pianos and Hammond organ, Michael Mudcat Ward on bass, and Neil Gouvin on drums, Norcia on vocals and harmonica-never wastes any notes, from the opening Mississippi blues of 'Sweet Baby,' that features Norcia's down-and-dirty harmonica and his signature blues growl, and the wink-and-a-nod jazz blues of 'Misses Blues' to the smoky lounge tune 'Not Me' and the downright moving guitar instrumental tribute to B.B. King 'You Know I Love You.' Sugar Ray and the Bluetones wring every emotion out of us even as they show us just how blues ought to be played. we don't have to see the band to believe them, though, one listen to this new album is plenty enough to convince us that Sugar Ray and the Bluetones deliver the best blues and jazz on the planet.