Blues in the Red House

Description

Blues in the Red House is an album by the British alternative rock band Station West (formerly known as Hidden Warfare), self-released on T-Bone Records in 1991. The album was produced and digitally recorded and mixed by Steve Boyce-Buckley at Square One in Manchester, England. All tracks written by the band except the Led Zeppelin classic “Rock ‘n Roll” and the Robert Johnson blues classic “Crossroads”.

Station West features John Tate on vocals and bass; Charles Oxtoby on guitars and backing vocals; and Giles Hearn on drums and percussion, as well as keyboards and backing vocals. Priscilla Jones is featured on vocals on “Rattlesnake” and “Celebration” while Jill Jackson provides backing vocals on “Shake”. Jon Taylor provides tenor saxophone (tracks 7 and 11) and harmonica (tracks 2 and 5) with Rogan Josh providing congas.

They’re tasty, tasty, very very tasty. Station West that is. Always a solid band during the Hidden Warfare era the threesome now positively sizzle. It’s the blues that does it, you know. Mixed in with the previous strong rock sensibilities has come a fair old dollop of raw, earthy blues, of both the powerhouse and lean varieties. Why, there’s even some blues harmonica on «Rattlesnake», a hot track which delivers a vicious musical rebuke to our ancient enemy. «Invitation» which starts the proceedings, introduces guest vocalist Priscilla Jones, and her pulsating duet with John Tate grabs the attention in no uncertain manner. Highlights are liberally sprinkled throughout the set. Led Zeppelin’s «Rock ‘N’ Roll» gets a fresh treatment and comes up all sparkling, bouncing with new life. «Shake» is, as you’d expect, a bit of an all-action song, featuring some solid sax expertise from Jon Taylor. Interest is maintained throughout by subtle variety, and assorted bits and pieces flitting in and out, including an all too brief encounter with Robert Johnson’s classic «Crossroads» which several Christian artists seem to have taken a liking to. Blues In is something a bit special, particularly for those needing a little musical roughage to counter a too-sweet musical diet. An album promising long-term enjoyment, and highly recommended. [Tony May, Cross Rhythms, October 1991]

CD tracklist:

01. Invitation (feat. Priscilla Jones) – 3:42
02. Rattlesnake – 5:22
03. Love Is The Circle – 3:41
04. Loud Is Not Enough – 0:51
05. Smokey Mountain – 3:50
06. Issimo – 0:37
07. Shake – 3:19
08. Mysterious – 2:25
09. Love Calling – 5:09
10. Crossroads – 1:07
11. Rock ‘n Roll – 3:17
12. The Red House – 1:23
13. Over The Sea – 4:02
14. India – 0:48

Note: Simultaneously released on cassette and CD by T-Bone Records.