The Davidson Trio – Cougar
West midlands blues-rock band The Davidson Trio, featuring the vocally rangy Owen Davidson (bass), Ben Bicknell (guitars) and relative newcomer to the scene Ellis Brown (drums) have, with debut album Cougar, delivered a musical cocktail of old-school blues with a modern rock-blues mixer.
The snaky rhythm and swaying blues of 'Medusa Touch' makes for a strong, old school opening, bolstered by a tasty solo from Ben Bicknell. The vocal delivery from Owen Davidson couldn’t be more fitting, particularly when warning of the song's femme fatale ("there’s evil in your eyes… oh, the medusa touch!")
'The Deep' is so on the Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas shuffle nose that you almost expect that sadly missed Dallas drawl to kick in on the first vocal line. However, Owen Davidson’s vocal is totally on-point for the slinky shuffle, while Ben Bicknell makes a fine fist of giving it the full Stevie Ray on the solo.
Bicknell also runs off some tasty licks during the "how deep does it get?" call and answer finale.
The blues sultry and bass pumping title track presents a lyric that states it’s cougar on the prowl intent very clearly.
Owen Davidson’s suitably tense vocal helps set the scene but the star of the show is Ben Bicknell, who lays down a solo that cries, howls and even moans (ahem) in harmony to the song’s groove and lyric.
"Thers’s something about you baby, makes a man just simply lose his head!" cries Davidson.
I don’t doubt it.
The rhythmic sway and thick guitar chords that drive the main stanzas of 'Hold On' nod more than a little to a blues take of 'Rocky Mountain Way,' while the pre-chorus sections recall Glen Hughes in rock-blues mode (albeit in a lower key/ vocal register).
Owen Davidson does, however, give it the full Glenn on the high "Hold On!" notes toward song’s end.
No matter the influences, it’s a pulsating number and a highlight of the album.
'Bad Moon' is another strong offering, not least because it reminds of Robin Trower in funky rhythm and thick-toned blues mode. The solos, however, are all Ben Bicknell.
Slow blues number 'Blue River' features Owen Davidson’s best vocal of the album (including a couple of nice falsetto lifts); the blues crying solo from Ben Bicknell plays in perfect sympathy to Davidson’s vocal.
The riff and rockin' rhythm of 'The Cure' is so close to Humble Pie’s 'I Don’t Need No Doctor' that you have to believe it’s an intentional homage with a mirrored lyric (needing a cure as opposed to not needing a doctor).
Either way, it’s a feisty, early 70s sounding rock-blues that features a great Owen Davidson vocal and a nice change of pace, courtesy of the downtempo breakdown. Another highlight.
Closing number 'Catfish Blues' is a snappy boogie that carries the same sort of lyrical glint in the eye as the title track ("she said come on in my baby, my husband just left.")
Ben Bicknell provides a wicked solo on this one, while the funky breakdown, where all three band members get to show their chops, sets up the frantic, firing on all three cylinders finish.
Cougar is peppered with "sounds like" moments and songs cut from the tried & tested blues template, but that's pretty much the old-school, wear your influences on the sleeve point. It's also what the majority of the equally old school blues rock audiences want.
From that perspective, Cougar is a job well done, with strong performances throughout.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
The snaky rhythm and swaying blues of 'Medusa Touch' makes for a strong, old school opening, bolstered by a tasty solo from Ben Bicknell. The vocal delivery from Owen Davidson couldn’t be more fitting, particularly when warning of the song's femme fatale ("there’s evil in your eyes… oh, the medusa touch!")
'The Deep' is so on the Stevie Ray Vaughan Texas shuffle nose that you almost expect that sadly missed Dallas drawl to kick in on the first vocal line. However, Owen Davidson’s vocal is totally on-point for the slinky shuffle, while Ben Bicknell makes a fine fist of giving it the full Stevie Ray on the solo.
Bicknell also runs off some tasty licks during the "how deep does it get?" call and answer finale.
The blues sultry and bass pumping title track presents a lyric that states it’s cougar on the prowl intent very clearly.
Owen Davidson’s suitably tense vocal helps set the scene but the star of the show is Ben Bicknell, who lays down a solo that cries, howls and even moans (ahem) in harmony to the song’s groove and lyric.
"Thers’s something about you baby, makes a man just simply lose his head!" cries Davidson.
I don’t doubt it.
The rhythmic sway and thick guitar chords that drive the main stanzas of 'Hold On' nod more than a little to a blues take of 'Rocky Mountain Way,' while the pre-chorus sections recall Glen Hughes in rock-blues mode (albeit in a lower key/ vocal register).
Owen Davidson does, however, give it the full Glenn on the high "Hold On!" notes toward song’s end.
No matter the influences, it’s a pulsating number and a highlight of the album.
'Bad Moon' is another strong offering, not least because it reminds of Robin Trower in funky rhythm and thick-toned blues mode. The solos, however, are all Ben Bicknell.
Slow blues number 'Blue River' features Owen Davidson’s best vocal of the album (including a couple of nice falsetto lifts); the blues crying solo from Ben Bicknell plays in perfect sympathy to Davidson’s vocal.
The riff and rockin' rhythm of 'The Cure' is so close to Humble Pie’s 'I Don’t Need No Doctor' that you have to believe it’s an intentional homage with a mirrored lyric (needing a cure as opposed to not needing a doctor).
Either way, it’s a feisty, early 70s sounding rock-blues that features a great Owen Davidson vocal and a nice change of pace, courtesy of the downtempo breakdown. Another highlight.
Closing number 'Catfish Blues' is a snappy boogie that carries the same sort of lyrical glint in the eye as the title track ("she said come on in my baby, my husband just left.")
Ben Bicknell provides a wicked solo on this one, while the funky breakdown, where all three band members get to show their chops, sets up the frantic, firing on all three cylinders finish.
Cougar is peppered with "sounds like" moments and songs cut from the tried & tested blues template, but that's pretty much the old-school, wear your influences on the sleeve point. It's also what the majority of the equally old school blues rock audiences want.
From that perspective, Cougar is a job well done, with strong performances throughout.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ