The Rag N Bone Man "One Man Band Brutal Trash Blues" EP (UK)

 My first introduction to a style of music similar to what The Rag N Bone Man plays came by way of the Black River Bluesman and the Croaking Lizard. They play their Blues in the deep woods and swamps of the muddy Black River Delta way up North in cold Finland, and have been compared to the rough sounds of the Mississippi Hill Country artists as well as to anything between Tom Waits and Jim Morrison or psycho blues and garage.

 

The Rag N Bone Man, whom by the way is a one man band, hails from Montrose, Scotland, or as a press release says, the bowels of Scotland. His style of music, according to his Facebook page, "is amped up explosive adrenaline fuelled, one man band brutal trash blues, with erupting slide guitar and howling harmonica riffs, spitting torrents of raw vocals you could hear over a working ship yard", and once you have had a listen to his Debut EP, appropriately titled "One Man Band Brutal Trash Blues", you will have little doubt as to the validity of his above Facebook description.

 

The Rag N Bone Man did not waste any time tearing his Harmonica a new one as he rattled the heck out of the Harps reeds, not long after, the big Drum beat kicks into action, follow by his growling Vocals. At this point in the game you are holding your breath for the amp, that if not hemorrhaging, is certainly starting to bleed a little. As the name of the song implies, "Savage" is just how he attacks this Track, at least for a little over the first half, at which point he lays into his Guitar and tones down the screaming to a rather pleasant decibel. That part of the Track kind of reminded me a little of the Scissormen, with the Guitar playing part.

 

“Junkie In The Phone Box” sinks us quite nicely into the grimy world that takes over ones life when everything in it seems, well broken.

 

When we were kids at school

She was my first love

Now she's a local junkie

In a Phone Box

 

Hardcore Street Level Blues At It's Best.

 

"Working Class Warfare", once again tickles the deep reaches of our auditory limits with basically the same assault as "Savage", with perhaps a bit more Harp slinging. This dude sure know hows to play that Harp.

 

"Sunnycidal" shows off The Rag N Bone Man's talent in a bit of a more toned manner, which I really really liked. You get a good sense of his Vocal depth and musical prowess, throughout most of this Track, although he does kick up the hardcore button in the middle part, but no where near his other 3 Tracks. I personally would love to hear more from The Rag N Bone Man along the lines of "Sunnycidal", hell I would love to hear him just play laid back Acoustic Blues, as well, as I feel he certainly has the talent there.

 

One thing I have never done, and never will, is run away from styles of Blues, that for some, may seem to far out there. "One Man Band Brutal Trash Blues", will of course, have some people running to the CD player to hit the stop button as fast as they can, but for the others they will find a sense of appreciation for an artist whom is simply stretching our comfort zone a bit, and is really doing nothing different then when Rock, Rap, Punk, Heavy Metal, or any number of other Genres first hit the scene.

 

"One Man Band Brutal Trash Blues" won't be for everyone, but it is some pretty cool stuff none the less.

 

Review by John Vermilyea (Blues Underground Network)

https://bluesundergroundnetwork.com/
 

 

Listen To Samples Here...

 

Additional Artist Info... https://www.facebook.com/theragnboneman

 

 

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