Bruce Marshall Group’s latest CD Borrowed Time leans more heavily into blues territory than their previous roots infested recordings. This was a wise decision to make because Borrowed Time is a really cool album that impresses with the band’s array of talent as it soothes the soul with its down and dirty depth.
Opening track “Caught In The Middle” is a pure, old fashioned blues shuffle. Marshall’s pure, matter of fact vocal contrasts well with the brittle, jazzy lead guitar beneath it. His call and response chorus is blues fun and hearkens back to the better days of blues. Lead guitarist Dave Cournoyer picks a dandy of a phrase before saxophone man Steve Roberge lets loose with a thin, breezy line that captures the spirit of this lively piece.
Title track “Borrowed Time” is one of those slow boil blues that works its way into something powerful, emotive. Marshall begins his steady climb toward his climatic finish with throaty authority and deep soul. With guest player Brian Maes’ organ swirl backing him, Marshall unleashes many of the things that have been going on in his heart and soul. He escorts us through his heartache days with true passion. Then, a lead guitar erupts and the song burns brightly, like a bonfire in the night.
“Flat Tire Shuffle” is a jump and jive party number. Its flinty guitar lines and hoofing groove make one want to dance and boogie all night long. The instrumentation in this song is very well drawn, with guitars that make one feel it, a groove that motivates, and a chirpy vocal that makes you like this gem even more.
“Devil’s In The Delta” gets a nice flavoring from Marshall’s dobro, a mesh of notes that percolate with greasy appeal. Cournoyer get his slide on with some tasty licks of his own. This one echoes with the ghosts from Delta past. It has the pain, hopelessness, desperation in its theme and in its sound. I can picture the anguished cotton pickers with each moping dobro note and in the urgent need that comes from the slide.
“Short On Cash” is a witty number that depicts the scenarios that result from cash flow issues. Marshall takes a more easeful vocal approach here. He goes through this mid-tempo piece with finesse and class, making his lyrical trip more of a jaunty joyride for his listeners. The free, jazzy guitar phrasing peppers this with another touch of class. This song has a way of feeling like it’s about the carefree lifestyle of those with nothing to worry about while describing those who don’t have enough. That contrast carries the song beautifully.
“If Dreams Were Money” is another slow boiler. Marshall’s smooth croon milks every drop of the emotive quality out of this. His cup of soul runneth over as he projects his powerful booming vocal over a steaming pot of tuneful guitar licks, simmering organ, and a thumping rhythm section. The ensemble work here is stunning, a band chemistry that finds the players showing their range with arcing parts of their own, coming together with smacking rests and stops.
Marshall must have been hard pressed to pay for this recording because he has so many songs on this album about being broke. “Overpaid My Dues” finds him discussing his financial strain which results from struggling to make it on the blues circuit. Roberge’s harmonica makes it own personal statement, rocking with the band while singing the notes with a steady verve. This one feels more Chicago, and the beat from drummer Pete Premo carries it off with well placed smacks.
“Smooth Ride Up” is exactly how it’s titled. Marshall’s strong solid croon rides along a cushy acoustic guitar line. With his easeful chorus and with the silky Denise Cascione on backing vocals, Marshall makes this into a catchy treat for the ears. It feels more like 1970s singer-songwriter material than blues but it’s still good.
Marshall nods to the musical past with “Victor Talking Machine.” The Group plays this one in a vintage style, when guitars were not as amped and the sound wasn’t as affected with effects. A tender guitar line picks out a timeless melody as the sax celebrates a 1920 jazz theme over a jazzy groove. Marshall infuses this one with a warmth and nostalgia that comes more from personality than his music, and that is just fine.
The down tempo “Sleepwalk” is graced by tuneful guitar lines, shadings that make one picture a person walking slowly down a sidewalk taking in all that surrounds him. While the picking and fret board style is mellow, the colors and tones suggest there is a lot going on in the emotive backdrop. Additionally, a rhythm guitar sprinkles the proceedings with a series of light, happy notes, thickening the vibe. When Roberge’s sax line moves in, the piece feels wider, fuller, and the listener feels that this well conceived piece represents a very important moment in someone’s life. “Sleepwalk” is a deliciously ironic title for a song that has so much going on below the surface.
“Friday Night Shoes” comes in cool and subtle with dual guitars picking flinty, drawling lines. Enter a shuffle beat and Marshall’s firm vocal assertions, and this piece kicks into first gear. One might want to line dance or boogie but no one in the room will be able to resist the allure of the upper registers or the pull of the groove. I can picture bassist Glen DiTommaso working his low end strings with snappy finger movements, pushing out this line with just the right amount of nudge.
Bruce Marshall Group close out with “Seeds Of Doubt,” a down tempo think piece about our society’s current state of affairs. Marshall’s strong vocal projection suggests there is hope for the individual to make his way through the miasma of misinformation and vitriol swirling around the media and public officials. His vocal sounds so firm and bluesy and rides the acoustic guitar blues line perfectly. He belts it with plaintive persistence as the brittle greasy notes sizzle beneath him,
Digging more deeply into their blues roots, the Bruce Marshall Group have come up with another strong album. Recorded at Soup Studio in Spencer, Massachusetts; and Powerhouse Studio in Lunenburg, Massachusetts; engineered at Major Minor Studio in Nashua, New Hampshire and JL Productions in Nashville, Tennessee with additional tracking at Tremolo Studio in Denmark, Maine, Borrowed Time has a nice crisp sound in every track. BMG will cement their bond with their familiars while make more people familiar.
