Anyone who wants to assert themselves as a musician in the 21st century and make a name for themselves must, first and foremost, be adaptable, always deliver something different, something new—in tune with the times—and, as in the financial sector and in business, possess a certain intuition, a premonition of future trends. Those who succeed in this most likely don't write their own songs and essentially have little freedom of choice, no opportunity for individuality.
In contrast, there are also those musicians whose main focus in life is the thing itself—music, making music—who mostly write their own lyrics and also take the composition into their own hands. Artists whose sounds somehow mean something to everyone, even if they never claim to be mass-marketable, precisely because their music stems from their own heart and is unique in its own way—like Bad Temper Joe.
This name has long been a household name for connoisseurs of the contemporary German blues scene, who value his virtuoso acoustic playing on the Weissenborn lap steel guitar, often presented solo, in a traditional style reminiscent of the heyday of blues combos in the 1920s. But Bad Temper Joe doesn't actually go back that many years in retrospect, as his fifth studio album, "Bad Temper Joe and his Band" – his second in 2017 – clearly, distinctly, and above all loudly demonstrates. This time around, he makes good on the promise he made on his previous album, "Solitary Mind," released in February: "I'm gonna get me a Rock 'n' Roll band [...]" come true, and can now be heard in the full breadth and diversity of an electric band, consisting of various guitars, harmonica, bass, and drums – recorded independently and mixed together.
Bob Dylan's influence on Bad Temper Joe's music is truly undeniable this time, as three interpretations of the maestro's works interestingly illustrate. Even though their interpreter has drawn inspiration from many different decades, such as the 50s, 60s, and even 80s, "Bad Temper Joe and his Band" isn't an imitation of past greats or distorted analog studio sounds, but rather current, contemporary music that impresses with its sonic power, quality, and purity.
If you like blues, call it blues; if you like Americana or country, call it Americana or country; if you prefer rock, call it rock—good music doesn't necessarily have to be categorized as a single genre! One thing should be said in conclusion: no 436 words can replace a first, second, or even tenth listening experience.
01 Hard To Do
02 Waiting On A Message
03 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde #4
04 Caroline
05 Double Trouble
06 Can't Wait
07 Blind Willie McTell
08 I'll Be There
09 Til I Fell In Love With You
10 Meet Me In Your Dreams
11 Blueberry Hill
