Reviews for Love vs Blues (2004)
“One of the good things of reviewing cd's is that, once in a while, you get a real masterpiece to review, a record you normally would never had heard... Such a record is 'Love vs Blues' by Paul Garner. Although he was born in England, he grew up in New Zealand, and he also returned to this island to record his first album. Why this cd is that good? First of all the style Garner plays in. One way or the other he succeeds in merging jazz with blues. Since the band that recorded the album with him plays a lot as a jazz-quartet, it's not that odd of course, but Garner stays loyal to his blues-roots (just listen to the slide-guitar he plays on 'Louisiana Blues'). Further you can not deny the strength of Paul as a musician, and I'm not talking about his sublime guitar-playing only. The man owns one of the most magnificent voices I heard on cd this year. In a number of songs he even made me think about Jamie Cullum, the young million-selling artist, who personally is responsible for the rebirth of jazz in the UK. The sum of his qualities as a musician and his exceptional talent for songwriting is incredibly high. The swinging 'Tequila Amnesia', the instigating 'Another Day In New Orleans' or the breathtaking 'Goodnight My Love', they are all highlights recorded between other highlights (twelve to be exact, all written by Garner himself). I think 'Love vs Blues' is a cd every music-lover should hear once if he or she can. I'm not pushing this record because, as I said earlier, the influences of jazz are more than present, but I can speak for myself and say that this album probably will be in my personal top 5 of this year.”
Steven Verhoeven - www.bobtjeblues.com (Belgium/Holland), Oct 2005
This translation was provided by Bobtje Blues.
For the original Dutch-language text see this page.
“Paul Garner offers a classy collection of songs that hark back to the days when musicians, rather than computers, played music. Recorded by Arron Merrie at Aztek Studios in Rotorua, this album has all the feel, mood and groove of a well produced jam session. Although blues by name, the resulting style leans more towards a jazz/blues fusion rather than raw delta blues. The musical centrepiece is Garner's highly competent guitar, while Liam Ryan, Nigel Masters and Warren Houston's organ, double bass and drums (respectively) fits the genre perfectly. Garner's father, Mike, rounds off the ensemble with some gutsy harmonica on three of the tracks, providing an overall sound that lacks nothing, and refreshingly avoids falling into the trap of being over produced. Although the songs are original, the style is familiar enough that they kind of sound like you've heard them before (in a good way!), making 'Love vs Blues' a very easy album to get into. A good example is Tequila Amnesia - reminiscent of some of Bill Hayley's 'other' songs, although far better recorded. For those who like their music 'real', this is well worth checking out.”
Tim Page - NZ Musician magazine, Dec/Jan 2005
“Singer/guitarist Paul Garner was born in Bedford, raised in New Zealand and is based in London. Garner returned to NZ to record Love vs Blues with the support of three of the country's best blues musicians. The album of 12 original songs demonstrates a maturity of touch and talent that belies Garner's relatively young age (26).
The title track opens proceedings in a light Latin-jazz tinged mood. Garner is a good guitarist and has the voice to match. The band's style is firmly rooted in the blues with several forays to the blues/jazz border. There is a nice variation in pace too, but none of this fazes the band (keyboards, bass and drums plus harp on three tracks): they are equally at home on slower blues like "Just Got Out Of Jail" and more uptempo numbers like the excellent toe-tapper "Blue Morning Light".
The band get a little funky for "Another Day In New Orleans" which is reminiscent of Anders Osborne. This is followed by "No Truth To Tell", another fine song with shades of Mose Allison to it, thanks largely to Liam Ryan's keyboards. After a quick stroll through "Bread & Circuses" the album ends in style courtesy of the late night club feel of "Goodnight My Love".
Love vs Blues shows that Paul Garner is a fine talent. His style occupies the same sort of territory as Ronnie Earl and Sonny Black, with a measure of Anders Osborne thrown in for good measure. Hopefully blues clubs up and down the country will be booking him when he gets back from his December tour of Japan because, on the evidence of Love vs Blues, Paul Garner certainly deserves to be heard by a wide audience.”
Rating: 8 (recommended) - Gordon Baxter - Blues In Britain magazine
“I first met Paul when he visited Melbourne from New Zealand with his dad Mike around 10 years ago. Back then he was a teenager full of enthusiasm and a budding talent. Well it is great to see this talent has blossomed with his first solo album. The album features Paul on various guitars and vocals and he has penned all [twelve] tracks. Paul has featured playing more traditional blues with his father but this album finds him in a more contemporary mood with his own sound. The album showcases how varied the blues can be. Paul concentrates on rhythms and grooves rather than producing blistering solos, the result is well constructed songs both musically and lyrically. Young players such as Paul have such a wide array of influences so we aren't gonna get a whole album of twelve bar boogie, thank god!
Paul is obviously comfortable playing such a range of material but the album certainly isn't brick a brack. Paul's stylish guitar work and his wonderful 'smooth as' band, featuring organ, keep all the songs distinctly Paul's even though the musical style varies. To me the stand out tracks are the longer numbers. "Just Got Out Of Jail", at nine minutes, features beautiful organ work by Liam Ryan followed by mood-setting guitar work. This song reminds me of the emotion enticing work of Roy Buchanan. The music combines so well it tells a story in itself. The seven-odd minute "Blue Morning Light" has Nigel Masters on bass laying down a great groove over which organ and guitar solos overlay. Here Paul features a more Robert Cray sounding solo. The nearly nine minute "Goodnight My Love" is a wonderful ballad to wind up the album, very laid back contemporary blues with a very impressive guitar solo, again emotion enticing.
Paul has a great line up of musos with those already mentioned, plus Warren Houston on drums and percussion and Paul's old man, Mike, on three tracks playing harmonica. Paul shows himself to be a generous musician giving all ample time to showcase their skills, which for a debut solo album is great work. I think some artists try to show off too much at the detriment to the songs and to the band playing with them, but having played professionally since his early teens Paul has learnt the most valuable lesson, that of playing music as a team. This band sets wonderful moods which is a great asset for a songwriter to have and this is an album of really good songs, unlike so many other blues albums that feature some great solos. This is certainly an impressive start to a solo recording career and I have no doubt we will be hearing a lot more of Paul Garner.”
Ross Mortimer - Rooster Blues, Australia
“Paul Garner plays songs of love and blues. Opener, 'Love vs Blues', is a fun swinging tune, difficult to just sit and listen because it has this drive that makes one move. A jazz feel to the music in this song. In the liner notes 'tis said the band is more a jazz quartet than a blues band. No problem for me, they play some great music. The singing by Paul is great and keeps you interested. 'Louisiana Blues' then is more in the blues idiom and is another well written tune. 'Just Got Out Of Jail' is a beautiful blues ballad that lasts more than 9 minutes. With evergreen potential!
'Dirty Dealer' has a straight-forward melody, basically built around the guitar and the harmonica. Rock-like. A completely different guitar sound in 'Some Will Tell You Their Secrets'. More a sing-song with the melody to support the singing. The guitar solo part in this one is very catchy and I listened it a couple of times to just absorb every note. 'Another Day In New Orleans' gives us up-tempo N.O. rhythm and some fast percussion. 'Goodnight My Love' finishes this collection and really gives us an idea of Paul's singing skills. Great song.
The songs are written around the thin edge between jazz and blues, although mainly at the blues side of the line and Paul managed to gather some grand musicians to accompany him in this project.”
Frankie - www.bluescruisers.net
“...Paul Garner's first solo album (he has recorded before with his father Mike Garner), is blues of the highest order.
Recorded in Rotorua during a previous trip to New Zealand from his current London base, Love vs Blues features a couple of local boys - Liam Ryan on organ and Nigel Masters on upright bass - and showcases Paul's remarkably imaginative guitar work and ever-evolving vocals.
What is most surprising, for anyone already familiar with Paul's guitar playing (and if you're not you should be - he has a way of finding new and surprising approaches to what could, in lesser hands, be blues clichés), is what a good songwriter he is. The twelve songs here are all his originals and half of them sound less like new songs than undiscovered blues classics. The novelty tune "Tequila Amnesia", particularly, is just begging for a high-profile band to cover it.
So the songs are great, guitar-playing is great, the band is great and the recording captures it all perfectly. I doubt whether you'll come across a better Kiwi blues album this year. Sensational stuff.”
Derek Jacombs - The Weekend Sun, NZ
“Hey, got the CD and positively loved it. The guitarist dude is a "thrill" (I use the word reservedly) to listen to. You can't kinda figure out whether he's an absolute genius or some guy lurching from one potential disaster to another. I was constantly (in my head) going...."You're f**ked now, DEAD........Wow....how did he do that?........MATE, you will NEVER get out of this one....Now that's bloody IMPOSSIBLE!!!" He has to be one of the most EXCITING guitarists I've listened to in a long time. And I haven't even talked about taste and songs and band and production and mastering. All in all something that you should be very proud to have been part of. And if Midge [Marsden] was talking about historical value, then I agree with his assessment of its importance.”
A fan in Australia
“Hey, great job on the new CD. Especially like 'Tequila Amnesia'. I'll be playing
it some on KNON.”
Don O. - Blues Format Director, KNON FM Dallas
“...I have already played 'Just Got Out Out Jail', and will be
doing another one - I guess next week. Great album - one to be proud
of.”
Bjørn Wiksaas - 106.9FM, Norway
“I really enjoyed your CD and I will play a lot more from it in the future. Keep up the good work.”
Eivind Henriksen - 98.6FM, Norway
“Thanks for the copy of your CD 'Love vs Blues'
received today, have had one listen so far and am very impressed !!
Great material mate !! certainly great fodder for my show on this.
Will post you playlists whenever I air tracks.
“It is very encouraging to see the list of great Blues releases by Kiwi
blues artists getting longer all the time, thanks for yours !!”
Mike Butler - MOANA 1440(am), Sun Fm (Whakatane), NZ
More reviews for Paul's latest work will be forthcoming!
The reviews below refer to the album:
Mike & Paul Garner: Steppin' Out To The Blues
“Paul has played the guitar since he was five and it shows. The solos he gets out of his Strat are best of the best and can easily compete with the top American artists. Mike and Paul Garner’s Steppin Out to the Blues is the best out of the 'very-deep South' that I have heard.”
Kontakt Reinhöaren - www.Blues.de - German Blues Magazine
“Track four is very good ... Mike and Paul make a very good team, we enjoyed their disc.”
Paul Oliver, Blues Historian
“I'm suitably impressed! Sound quality is excellent, with good performances from everyone, especially Paul, whose guitar playing is top notch - reminds me of SRV, Ronnie Earl and T-Bone, but played in his own way with a nice tone.”
John Holmes, guitarist with ABB, UK
(signed to Springboard Media in Hong Kong)
“Very impressive. I really want to try to get you here for next festival. It will be tough $$$ wise, but lets see what we can do.
BTW, my fav. tune is "Crazy 'Bout That Thing", Paul really lays down some soulful guitar on that one.”
Tone Sommer, guitarist with Robert Ealey Band, Texas
(organiser of the Dallas-Fort Worth Blues Festival)
“We especially enjoyed your music at the Whangarei Jazz 'n' Blues Festival, and so bought your CD. IT'S FANTASTIC !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Such AWESOME guitar work Paul !!!!!!!!”
email from NZ fan
