Blues Music Review: Electrofied - Bad Case Of The Blues - Marva Records 2009

Electrofied, AKA Electrofied Blues Band, is a quartet based around the Baltimore, Maryland/Washongton D.C. area. The group released Bad Case Of The Blues on drummer Richard Burgess' Marva Records in late 2009. It's the second album from Electrofied (following 2005's Sunday Morning Blues, but not including 2007's Live Performances.) However, it is the first Electrofied album to feature the current lineup, which consists of Burgess on drums, Rob Rusteberg on bass, Tony Fazio on guitar, and vocalist Scott Taylor.

The album consists of 10 original songs written by the band, clocking in at just over 43 minutes of Blues music. Bad Case Of The Blues kicks off with the title cut, a cleverly written tune based lyrically around the song's subject's conversations with his doctor. The band is tight, and the track sets the tone for what you can expect thoughout the album.

Fazio is a graduate of the Berklee College of Music, and plays a mean guitar. The rhythm section is in tune with one another, and Burgess' drumming seems almost Rock-y at times. Taylor has a Soulful element to his vocals. His voice isn't quite smooth, which isn't a knock. There's a small edge to it, but it's not rough, either. It's a good sound.

"Cadillac" features some fantastic work by Rusteberg and Richard Burgess, who is another former Berklee student. The bass-line is Funky and consistent, and Burgess utilizes most, if not all, of his kit on the track. This tune had my head bobbing along with the rhythm. "Life Is Like A Boomerang" is a very cool tune, and features the first appearance on Bad Case Of The Blues for guest harmonica player, Charlie Sayles. Burgess' drumming is hypnotic, pounding out the toms with a swampy ferocity. Fazio's guitar is light and almost non-existent...very understated. Sayles' harp is a very cool compliment to the rest of the band, and he certainly sounds like he belongs.

Electrofied approaches the recording process with a "one-take" mentality; trying to nail the song live in-studio in one shot. It's impressive considering some of the intricacies you pick up listening to the record. "Rub Me Down" is a slowed down number with some very slight echo effects on Scott Taylor's vocals, as well as Fazio's guitar. This is a great example of Taylor's Soul Blues influences, such as Bobby "Blue" Bland, Bobby Womack, and others.

"Put Your Hands In the Air" is another cool tune. Slower in tempo, It's a nice homage to the Blues, and kind of a mission statement to listeners of what Electrofied is all about. "...The Blues is good music. You can feel it in your soul. I said, the Blues keeps you young when you're growin' old." Taylor scats his way out of the tune before mentioning several times "I love the Blues." Amen, brother!

Charlie Sayles returns on harp for "I'll Go Insane," although it's just a few fills here and there. I enjoyed Tony Fazio's guitar solo here. "Rainbow" follows "I'll Go Insane." I really enjoyed this track, and the lyrics, especially. "My neighbors think I'm crazy. I play the same record every day."

"Early In the Morning" kicks of with some instrumental fireworks by Fazio and Burgess, before kicking into a great jam by the Electrofied Blues Band. "It Ain't Right" is another slow burner that is really steeped in Southern Soul music. The band brings back the echo effects on Taylor's vocals, and it's not a bad touch here. Fazio has some nice call-and-response guitar to compliment Taylor's vocals. It's worth noting the great job that the entire band does on this song. Clocking in at six minutes, "It Ain't Right" is not only the slowest tune on Bad Case Of The Blues, but it's also the longest. This track is a personal favorite of mine off of Bad Case Of The Blues.

Things wrap up on Bad Case Of The Blues with "99 Miles." There's some definite Hendrix influence on the guitar sounds found on the track. Richard Burgess is masterful on the drum kit, here, as well.

It's definitely worth commending Electrofied for being passionate about the Blues enough to take their careers beyond that "cover band" regime. It's cool, also, that they care enough about their own music to release an album filled with original material, forgoing a bunch of gimmicky covers.

Standout Tracks: "Life Is Like A Boomerang," "It Ain't Right," and "Put Your Hands In the Air"

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