Artist: Patrick Sweany Album: Close To The Floor Bitrate: 227kbps avg Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz Label: Nine Mile Records Genre: Blues Size: 67.64 megs PlayTime: 0h 39min 36sec total Rip Date: 2013-07-20 Store Date: 2013-07-16 Track List: -------- 01. Working For You 2:51 02. It's Spiritual 4:21 03. Every Night Every Day 5:33 04. Bus Station 3:32 05. The Island 4:24 06. Every Gun 3:17 07. Deep Water 5:34 08. Just One Night 3:58 09. Slippin' 3:26 10. Terrible Years 2:40 Release Notes: -------- Patrick Sweany began his musical journey in acoustic blues, but quickly stepped over to electric sounds and was never shy about incorporating soul and R&B. His latest record is titled Close To The Floor and the bluesman explores various dark themes including the gut-wrenching topic of premature death. Exploration and the blues seems to encounter certain obstacles. Wander too far and purists will call you out on having abandoned it. Stay right in the center and be ignored for not offering anything new. IÆve always thought of the chord progressions and riffs in the blues to be like poetic forms, and wondered if modern writers could ever say anything new within those established patterns. Of course, thereÆs no shortage of things to be ôblueö about. Poverty, heartache, day-drinking. These are subjects that one doesnÆt have any personal experience with to get something out of a well-turned phrase. ItÆs doubtful that Patrick SweanyÆs sweating the legitimacy of what he does; heÆs an established musician whoÆs received plenty of praise from musicians and critics alike. But describing his music as blues works as useful shorthand, keeping in mind that the most revealing thing about listening to this album is the idea that heÆs making the music he wants. The sounds are warm, humid even, thereÆs a barley perceptible hum that clings to every chord and lick. SweanyÆs vocals at their most intense push past the analog tape theyÆre recorded to leaving the impression his howls might reverberate forever. ItÆs a genre that doesnÆt seem to have ever been fashionable, certainly not in the way that so many vaguely folkish bands are right now, with the possible exception of The Black Keys, but I donÆt get the sense that anyone is clamoring for a bluesy Mumford and Sons. ThereÆs an honesty to this music that belongs outside all of that. ItÆs raw and carries itself just fine without worrying about what decade it is or where it fits in.