Toby Lee – House On Fire
19 year old Toby Lee, whose prodigious guitar talents as a ten year old and various accolades have been well documented has, with House On Fire, released his first album of all new material.
Debut album Aquarius, released in 2021, featured old-time blues, rockabilly, blues rocking AOR and a couple of covers.
It was followed in 2022 by Icons Vol.1, an album of Toby Lee’s favourite/ most influential guitarists.
Impressive an album as it was, Icons was more of a fun exercise to provide quality cover material for the live sets and for sale at the merch desk.
House On Fire then is the true follow up to Aquarius, and as such documents Lee’s growth and developing maturity as a guitarist (which is already at a level many a blues players twice his age would covet), songwriter and singer, one that has grown into his voice, and in confidence, this last year.
While the songs are all influenced by old school blues, soul-blues or rock and roll, there’s a contemporary sound attached to them, courtesy of Shadow Hand, a modern production duo comprising of Gareth Young (who plays keys on the album) and Bnann (aka DZ Watts), who also provides backing vocals.
That the songs average out at just a shade over three minutes also points to an intentional 'commercial appeal' angle.
Young & Bnann were also part of the songwriting team, led by Toby Lee and his bassist Sam Collins.
Said quartet were both prolific and quick, coming up with some 16 songs/ demos in less than a week, of which 11 made the final cut for the three week recording sessions.
The 60s styled soul-blues title track, which opens the album, carries uplifting "sky’s the limit" lyricism and a sunny disposition within its mid-tempo groove, as well as a couple of sonic splashes of modern pop-production.
Following number 'Just Hold On' is an organ backed, Stones meets The Faces rock ‘n’ roll groover that suitably impresses with a confident vocal from Toby Lee and a nifty, rockin’ solo.
Next up is 'Count On Me,' a feelgood, horn backed soul-pop blues with an almost Toploader feel; it also comes equipped with some nicely arranged harmony vocals and a tasty solo.
Indie soul-blues styled 'Blame Me' is another success, while downtempo ballad 'No Need To Lie' marries a slightly treated underwater guitar sound with old-time sway and a subtle use of horns.
Quickfire boogie number 'Fever' acts as the album’s fun moment before weighty mid-tempo number 'Into The Light,' which sports judicious use of blues slide, announces itself as an album highlight.
The slower, soulful side of the album then returns in the shape of 'Saviour,' which wouldn’t be out of place in a 60s Stax Records catalogue. The song also features a subtly sympathetic solo from Toby Lee, who understands what a song needs, as opposed to what he could (over)play.
The soulful blues continues with 'Patiently Waiting For Love' (you can almost hear the voice of Otis Redding on this one) before the tempo is increased for the swinging rhythm 'n' blues boogie of 'Preacher.'
Delicate and yearning closing number 'Safe Ground,' featuring Kath Buckler on cello, showcases Toby Lee’s development as a singer delivering a sensitive lyric ("I’ll pull you up when you’re down, and you pull me back to safe ground").
Toby Lee has been praised by such notables as Jools Holland (with whom he has just completed a tour, and will feature on Holland’s end of year Hootenanny) and Joe Bonamassa, who has tipped Lee as "a future superstar of the blues."
Based on the teenager’s talent, development and maturity shown on House On Fire, that’s a comment that could well turn out to be prophetic.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ
Debut album Aquarius, released in 2021, featured old-time blues, rockabilly, blues rocking AOR and a couple of covers.
It was followed in 2022 by Icons Vol.1, an album of Toby Lee’s favourite/ most influential guitarists.
Impressive an album as it was, Icons was more of a fun exercise to provide quality cover material for the live sets and for sale at the merch desk.
House On Fire then is the true follow up to Aquarius, and as such documents Lee’s growth and developing maturity as a guitarist (which is already at a level many a blues players twice his age would covet), songwriter and singer, one that has grown into his voice, and in confidence, this last year.
While the songs are all influenced by old school blues, soul-blues or rock and roll, there’s a contemporary sound attached to them, courtesy of Shadow Hand, a modern production duo comprising of Gareth Young (who plays keys on the album) and Bnann (aka DZ Watts), who also provides backing vocals.
That the songs average out at just a shade over three minutes also points to an intentional 'commercial appeal' angle.
Young & Bnann were also part of the songwriting team, led by Toby Lee and his bassist Sam Collins.
Said quartet were both prolific and quick, coming up with some 16 songs/ demos in less than a week, of which 11 made the final cut for the three week recording sessions.
The 60s styled soul-blues title track, which opens the album, carries uplifting "sky’s the limit" lyricism and a sunny disposition within its mid-tempo groove, as well as a couple of sonic splashes of modern pop-production.
Following number 'Just Hold On' is an organ backed, Stones meets The Faces rock ‘n’ roll groover that suitably impresses with a confident vocal from Toby Lee and a nifty, rockin’ solo.
Next up is 'Count On Me,' a feelgood, horn backed soul-pop blues with an almost Toploader feel; it also comes equipped with some nicely arranged harmony vocals and a tasty solo.
Indie soul-blues styled 'Blame Me' is another success, while downtempo ballad 'No Need To Lie' marries a slightly treated underwater guitar sound with old-time sway and a subtle use of horns.
Quickfire boogie number 'Fever' acts as the album’s fun moment before weighty mid-tempo number 'Into The Light,' which sports judicious use of blues slide, announces itself as an album highlight.
The slower, soulful side of the album then returns in the shape of 'Saviour,' which wouldn’t be out of place in a 60s Stax Records catalogue. The song also features a subtly sympathetic solo from Toby Lee, who understands what a song needs, as opposed to what he could (over)play.
The soulful blues continues with 'Patiently Waiting For Love' (you can almost hear the voice of Otis Redding on this one) before the tempo is increased for the swinging rhythm 'n' blues boogie of 'Preacher.'
Delicate and yearning closing number 'Safe Ground,' featuring Kath Buckler on cello, showcases Toby Lee’s development as a singer delivering a sensitive lyric ("I’ll pull you up when you’re down, and you pull me back to safe ground").
Toby Lee has been praised by such notables as Jools Holland (with whom he has just completed a tour, and will feature on Holland’s end of year Hootenanny) and Joe Bonamassa, who has tipped Lee as "a future superstar of the blues."
Based on the teenager’s talent, development and maturity shown on House On Fire, that’s a comment that could well turn out to be prophetic.
Ross Muir
FabricationsHQ