Guitar prodigy Quinn Sullivan is back with another carefully crafted and performed blend of soul and blues with the odd funky interjection. The new album is called Salvation and, although he learned from playing with the likes of Buddy Guy, Walter Trout and Carlos Santana, it is a retro-sounding, radio-ready set that puts him more into the singer-songwriter category rather than the guitar whizz he undoubtedly is. That’s not to say the guitar is neglected, it just shines, for a guitar addict like me, less often than it could have.
The lead track and single start with a neat drum intro that nearly have me singing “Are you Ready Steve.”’Dark Love’ has bounce, a great rhythm guitar and eventually a great guitar solo. Next up is the (sort of) title track, ‘Salvation (Make Me Wanna Prey)’ which has Hendrix-y touches with added funk and a sumptuous wah-wah solo that makes the purchase worthwhile on its own – a superb track that brings the late, great Bernie Marsden to mind too.
‘Better In Love’ and ‘Eyes On Me’, sound fresh from the 70’s with hints of (whisper) Hall & Oates when they weren’t trying too hard for the charts. A quality slice of slinky slide guitar usually guarantees my allegiance and the blues-laden ‘Rise Up Children’ has nearly enough slide to be on permanent repeat.
Elsewhere we get some funky blues shuffling on ‘I Can’t Stay (And You Can’t Go’); more funk on the horny ‘Nothin’ Gonna Change My Mind’ with more tasty wah. The album closes with an excellent live rendition of ‘Eyesight To The Blind’: this Sonny Boy Williamson song receives the full electric (in every sense) treatment from Quinn and is another must-hear/have.
In summary, this isn’t pure blues or soul or rock… it’s a clever and captivating blend of all of them with the storytelling nature of the songs pulling it, and the album together very nicely.
Salvation is out now.
