Kelly’s Lot : Can’t Take My Soul
Kelly’s Lot
Can’t Take My Soul
Los Angeles based band Keely’s Lot celebrate twenty-five years of delivering rock and blues with their twelfth album, Can’t Take My Soul, set for release in the spring of 2019. The twelve new tracks feature Kelly Z’s Smokey alto and the tight four-piece band that has been backing her up since 1994. The mix of original songs written by Kelly and her longtime partner in crime guitarist Perry Robertson, speak truth to the issues of the day, from our political climate and world struggles to tender matters of the heart, real-life inspiration and tragedy in an original mix of southern California Blue Eyed Soul.
The set opens the album by Kelly namechecking all her heroes from Muddy to Koko, and Buddy to Etta on the good old time Rock-N-Roll number ‘All I Ever Want Is The Blues.’ She then gets right to the point urging us al to “Don’t Give Up,” on the political rebuke ‘All Hope Aint Lost.’ The gently swinging Blues ‘Alyssa,’ was inspired by a young woman born with a terminal illness who defied the odds and lived to be 23 years old and became a medical pioneer becoming one of the world’s first to receive gene therapy for Canavan Disease. This song will live on as a loving tribute to her inner strength. Eddie Baytos joins the crew on accordion and washboard for the Cajun dance party anthem ‘Woe Is Me,’ adding authentic Louisiana spice to the rue. The testament of love ‘Safe And Warm,’ is delivered on a soft bed of acoustic underpinnings deftly delivered by this veteran band. The notorious French Bluesman Jean-François Thomas, who goes by the no de plume “Jeff Toto Blues” joins Kelly for a scalding duet ‘Rise Up (Leve Toi)’ sparing with her in French and English about the fire burning deep inside forbidden love. Frank Hinojosa adds some greasy Blues Harp to the slinky R&B groove of ‘Broke Myself.’ The acoustic driven ballad ‘Let It Breath,’ has that distinct bittersweet and dusty Laurel Canyon feel only So-Cal musicians now how to deliver.
Kelly opens a vein and exposes all her depth on the dynamic call for redemption and self-preservation simply called ‘Dirt,’; a simple title for an expansive and complicated song. The she goes back to her folk singer roots on sweet optimistic hymn ‘Little Bit Of This,’ before busting out the rabble-rousing surf rock title track “Can’t Take My Soul.’ We are transported to a sidewalk café in Paris for the final track of the album ‘Mon Ami.’ The lovely encore reveals a softer side of Kelly Z’s as she serenades us eloquently in François and then translates the images of love and devotion in English with graceful ease. Can’t Take My Soul fully demonstrate the skills and variety in the repertoire Kell’s Lot have developed over two and half decades performing as an acoustic duo, trio an electric 5 piece and how they have become a mainstay in the Southern California music scene.