TINSLEY ELLIS – Tough Love (2015)

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Atlanta born TINSLEY ELLIS has been making music for a long time. I discovered him at the beginning of the ’90s with his first album for the legendary Alligator Records, and I was shocked by his awesome guitar playing.
Since some years ago, ELLIS has his own label, and “Tough Love“, released today, shows the man and his band rocking better than never.

Don’t be fooled by the cheap artwork of “Tough Love”. The music packed inside is first class bluesy classic rock full of fire and a kick ass spirit.
Think a mix of a fiery Stevie Ray Vaughan, a passionate Gary Moore and the attitude of the ‘rebel’ Albert King, and you have what the Tinsley Ellis Band is all about.
While Tinsley may be deadly serious about his music and his gruff expression on the cover might make you think he’s going to be pissed if you even point at it, “Tough Love” is a welcoming album. He brings you in right away with the contagious feel-good vibe of “Seven Years”.
This funky lead track features slinky, clean lead guitar licks in a minor-key, midtempo heartbreak groover that contains plenty of stinging lead fills, with electric piano and B-3 Hammond fueling the rhythm section.

Ellis’ voice is in terrific form here and throughout. Somehow it is simultaneously raspy and smooth as he delivers his tales and punctuates them with biting commentary from his guitars. His band including Lynn Williams on drums, Steve Mackey on bass and Kevin McKendree on keyboards works like well-oiled machine, with a classic rock feel.
“Midnight Ride” is a hard strutting shuffle and Tinsley unleashes the beast during his solos, bending the Hell out the high notes until they’re screaming like over-heated tires burning rubber and launching the midnight ride.
Then, “Give It Away” is an acoustic guitar based ballad that is an exact match for Tinsley’s wiser crooning.

These 3 first tracks pretty much defines this CD; he delivers 3 variants in tempo, song structure and arrangements, in as many vocal approaches – all of them excellent. Each song has its merits in craft and execution, but there are other clear highlights.
“Should I Have Lied” is a piano ballad that gets set ablaze when Tinsley lets loose on his guitar. It sounds like he’s using a hollow body guitar and it has an earthy tone. Tinsley is a master at matching the guitar to the song. This tune pulls together all his strengths as a singer, player and writer. It is superb.

“Hard Work” rocks plenty of grooving slide licks, the soulful midtempo “All in the Name of Love” showcases electric piano and B-3 as Ellis plays some emotional chops, “Should I Have Lied” is rocking blues, while “The King Must Die” is a dark, brooding, swampy jam that showcases the band at their intuitive best under his six-string storm.
The album ends with another smoldering slow bluesy tune called “In From The Cold”. McKandree plays a mellotron, of all things, on this one and it’s a delight. Yes, an instrument usually used in Prog music here mixed with a classic rock foundation. I don’t know who had the idea, but kudos to Tinsley for running with it. This mix of old sounds spurred some damned fine, fresh-sounding music.

Somehow, Tinsley Ellis manages to consistently present engaging new music. It seems like stepping away from major recording labels and making music for his own record company has freed his spirit.
While Ellis has issued plenty of fine records, he’s never revealed himself as such an axe slinger, singer, and songwriter with this magnitude and abundance.
The music in “Tough Love” is filled with Classic Rock joy. Anyone wondering if Blues is just depressing songs needs to look no further than the bluesy numbers on this CD. Tinsley tells it like it is. Sometimes it’s rough and rocking, with attitude, sometimes extremely melodic and subtle. It’s all here.
Very, Very Recommended.

01 – Seven Years
02 – Midnight Ride
03 – Give It Away
04 – Hard Work
05 – All In The Name Of Love
06 – Should I Have Lied
07 – Leave Me
08 – The King Must Die
09 – Everything
10 – In From The Cold

Tinsley Ellis – vocals, guitars
Kevin McKendree – keyboards, mellotron
Steve Mackey – bass
Lynn Williams – drums

BUY IT !
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