Dirt Woman Blues

Grainne Duffy

Dirt Woman Blues

For her sixth album Dirt Woman Blues  Irish roots phenom, singer songwriter and guitarist  Grainne Duffy ventured far from the emerald isle to sunny southern California  to find a bigger bolder sound. She  partnered with American blues-rock guitarist marc Ford best known as  a former member of the Black Crowes, creating a tandem guitar sound with her husband Paul Sherry who also plays in her band. They enlisted Gary Clark Jr’s Austin Texas rhythm section; drummer JJ Johnson and Bass and keyboard player Elijah Ford (Marc’s son). The sessions yielded a collection of nine new tracks centered around Duffy’s haunting alto and a mash up songwriting styles from Celtic storytelling to Delta Blues poetry and Laurel Canyon 70’s Rock.  

Guitar driven rocker, “Well Well Well,”  opens as a celebration of  self-discovery and empowerment. The title track  “Dirt Woman Blues,” is mournful yet surprising composition as it uses the classic elements of heavy blues in a fresh an unconventional way. The Breezy “What’s It Gonna Be,” speaks of the unriddled joy that love can produce. JJ Johnson drives the tribal beat for the Celtic tone poem “Rise Above,” Duffy’s fiery vocals channeling her namesake ‘Grainne’ the daughter of king Cormac mac Airt in the Fianna Cycle of Irish mythology. Ford delivers one of those guitar riffs from southern harmony as the base for the grooving  “Sweet Liberation,” a great singalong that starts out easy and builds to blazing boogie jam. On this ground breaking release Grainne Duffy supplies, in one unique mix, Irish mysticism, soulful vocals, an amazing groove, an extraordinary band, and beautifully crafted lyrics.  Rick J Bowen