Reviews

'WAR OF THE BLUES' is one of the most powerful, passionate and inspired Blues rock recordings to come out in 2008. This album is a true gem for fans of Blues rock. A unique talent with an astonishing command of his guitar. Darryl St. John plays with emotion and skill rarely seen from today's mainstream musicians. If you're looking for a CD that is loaded to the brim with passion added with great songwriting, and superb musicianship then Darryl St. John's 'War Of The Blues' is just what the doctor ordered. This man has an abundance of talent and deserves to be heard. - The Atomic Chaser, THE DRP/All Access Magazine

Darryl St. John is back

One of the Fox Valley's premier axemen has returned, and this time he's plugging in and cranking the volume to 10.

Last time we saw Darryl St. John, he was performing an acoustic show, which was his M.O. during the late 1990s and early part of this decade. After that, he performed behind the scenes, helping record albums for others.

Well, St. John is ready to return to the forefront, and from the opening power chords of 'Well Well Well,' a track from his new album, 'War of Blue,' it's clear that he wants you to know that there's nothing subtle about his re-emergence.

Judging from the tracks he has posted on his MySpace page, St. John aims to pack a wallop with each note that blares from his Marshall amplifier. He's in ferocious form on songs like 'Well Well Well' and 'Michelle's Blues,' channeling his inner Jimmy Page through his Les Paul guitar.

Speaking of Page, 'War of Blue' includes covers of Led Zeppelin's 'Since I've Been Loving You' and 'I Can't Quit You Babe.'

While St. John's guitar work is the focal point, listeners will take note of singer Michelle McCarthy's vocals. She's got a raspy, powerful voice that's a good match for St. John's searing lead playing. It's hard to believe St. John discovered her by accident, and that she hadn't performed in a band before.

'War of Blue' was recorded at Rock Garden Studio with Marc Golde. The goal was to capture the spirit of a live performance on record and create a listening experience that's closer to vinyl than Pro Tools.

The album is available at St. John's MySpace page. He'll also play a CD release show at 9 p.m. Saturday at the Cold Shot in Appleton.--posted by Eric Klister