Album Review: Turrentine Jones 'Our Days'

The last time Turrentine Jones were featured on my blog ( you can jog your memory here) they had just embarked down the route of Pledge music in order to produce their debut album OUR DAYS (with 5% of profits being donated to homeless charity Mustard Tree) The results of which landed in my inbox recently and the Blues drenched sounds with a strong Memphis influence told me that the public's faith was well spent.  Packed with tracks which simmer in 'devil-may-care' riffs, it's icy cool attitude teases us with the mystery it retains.

Gift of A Rose eases us into the album with it's charming melodies and plucky riffs. The smoothness to the track, which manifests itself in Julian Neville's sultry vocals, creates a strong Beatnik vibe as the infectious rhythm creates a promising album opener. Southern American attitude is punched directly into Hunger as their influence from the Tennessee label Stax Records shines through with a raw edge to the guitar riffs and a heavy emphasis on the unmistakable twang to Neville's vocals. Love Heard You Coming is arguably the most radio-friendly track to the album due to it's playful spontaneity and conventional approach to the chorus. Grace Is A Dancer injects OUR DAYS with a heavy passion in it's subtle intro which slowly heats up into a celebratory ballad. The track simmers back down again into an intimate acoustic guitar solo which feels so close , the Fretboard is almost whispering in your ear.    

It's easy to see, or hear even, how the colloquially titled Moonlight Is On Yer Side was chosen as the single for OUR DAYS. The fun, yet seductive, instrumentals deems the song perfect to represent the album. Moonlight Is On Yer Side is a smart and sharp track, cloaked in a mysterious nighttime haze due to the echoing bridge, but still contains all the makings of a hit single with it's carefree, danceable beat and spontaneous nature.

Pussy Cat is a T.S Elliot style ode to feline femininity and thankfully, evades the trap of  the simpering love song. The woman of desire, and the subject of the track, shares the traits of a Pussy Cat due to the fact she noncommittally comes and goes as she pleases against a backdrop of electric riffs, which provides a gentle warmth and flows smoothly into the gentle Little Queen. June returns the album to it's raw blues core, complete with angst-ridden lyrics. The main concept behind OUR DAYS seems to be quite simply 'women' with Mary Ann as the finishing track. (I wonder how Grace and Pussy Cat lady feel about this??) However Mary Ann is a lucky lady as the song provides OUR DAYS with a heated passion in it's velvety verses and pining guitars which perfectly seals up the album.  

2013 saw Turrentine Jones receive a rapturous reception at the BBC Introducing Stage at Glastonbury . Couple this with the raw, sensual energy of OUR DAYS and you have a band that is set to stamp it's own unmistakable mark on the British music scene.

OUR DAYS will be available from 11th August