Michael van Merwyk - Blue River Rising '2021

Tracks list

If you listen to Michael van Merwyk’s music with your eyes, you’ll
see a very tall, imposing white German guy, with a Dutch name – an
unlikely purveyor of the deep-roots, down-home blues. What’s he going to
do, you might wonder. After all, he seems far removed from the origins of
American roots music.

A much preferential method is to listen to music with your ears. Then you will
hear an accomplished, fiery songster belting out fierce and emotive songs in the
acoustic roots & blues tradition. He does it with reverence and dignity.
He’s not faking a black accent, not disrespecting the African American
heritage of this music that was rooted in the exploitation and oppression of the
Jim Crow era. He’s not claiming to have invented it; or, giving himself
false credit for keeping it alive. He plays it with respect and passionate
devotion. In a deep, meaningful way with a tip of the hat to the originators
during the golden era of this music.
He’s startingly good, as a singer/songwriter and guitarist, slide or
fingerpicking. There have been great European blues singers and songsters since
the mid-1960 as part of the folk & blues revival. Michael van Merwyk now
deserves a seat at the table with the best of them. He sings in a rich tenor,
almost baritone voice, and he is a swiftly skilled, virtuosic guitarist.
His new release “Blue River Rising“ has everything done right,
exquisitely tasteful, well-crafted songs, with hot, superb instrumentation. All
that in a generous set of songs, mostly written by van Merwyk. His harmonica
partner Gerd Gorke plays along sensitively and elegantly, adding just the right
touch to van Merwyk’s powerful and gritty merrymaking.
This fine album will give you a deserved dose of fun and joy in this mean
pandemic, and that’s what roots & blues music has always done, give you
lift in troubled, hard times. We need this now, the real deal, for sure, and it
works like dynamite!

Tracklist:
1 01. Michael van Merwyk - Blue River Rising (06:00)
1 02. Michael van Merwyk - Wont Get Any Better (03:10)
1 03. Michael van Merwyk - Keep Sinking (03:53)
1 04. Michael van Merwyk - Strange Man (03:46)
1 05. Michael van Merwyk - Circumstances (05:20)
1 06. Michael van Merwyk - The Blues Will Do Your Heart Good (03:13)
1 07. Michael van Merwyk - Lonely Days (02:32)
1 08. Michael van Merwyk - Heal My Wounds (03:24)
1 09. Michael van Merwyk - I Aint Got No Home In This World Anymore (05:08)
1 10. Michael van Merwyk - I Dont Want Your Millions, Mister (03:05)
1 11. Michael van Merwyk - Bye Bye Blues (03:17)
1 12. Michael van Merwyk - Dark & Dreary (02:29)
1 13. Michael van Merwyk - Road of Life (04:18)
1 14. Michael van Merwyk - Travel On (03:44)

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