Valvulado: Bill Durst - Blues Rock (USA)

Bill Durst is an award-winning Canadian blues artist, who is also one of the founding members of the band Thundermug. "Hard And Heavy" marks the second album I have received from Canadian Blues Rocker Extraordinaire Bill Durst, of which his previous release "Live", I wrote, "I received Bill Durst's newest album "Live", a few weeks back and I must say that I really can't get enough of this great Blues Rockin' masterpiece. It is absolutely great from beginning to end and certainly one of the most entertaining Live albums I have listened to, so far, in 2012." This album impressed me enough, that I had no problem awarding it Best Canadian Live Blues Album in my 2012 Year End Review. After listening to "Hard And Heavy", just once, I must say that I already have the same level of excitement that listening to "Live" gave me, maybe even more. "Hard And Heavy" consists of 10 great Tracks, and since there is no credits to the contrary, I will go out on a limb and say that the songs are most likely all originals written and/or co-written by Bill Durst and Joe DeAngelis. Bill Durst is a very prolific writer having written and recorded over 100 songs on ten albums. Joining Bill Durst (Guitar/Lead Vocals) on "Hard And Heavy" is Joe DeAngelis (Bass/Backing Vocals), Sandesh John Fernandez (Drums), and Corey Thompson on Track 3 "I'm Your Man". Joe DeAngelis offers up his expertise as longtime co-writer with Bill Durst and longtime bandmate of previous incarnations, most notably "Thundermug, a hugely popular Canadian band that was active from 1970 to 1976 and from 1991 to 2001. They released two top 40 Canadian singles and five albums." Corey Thompson joined Thundermug in 1991 when it reunited. Taking a look at the cover photo of "Hard And Heavy", one cannot help but notice that Bill Durst has quite a beard, and here is a nice little tidbit of info that goes with why and when he started growing it. "In between a couple of albums, as a side gig, Bill played in “the biggest bar band in Canada” Tres Hombres, a ZZ Top clone band, and that’s how he got his beard started! " That little tidbit actually brings up what I get the most out of not only "Live", but also "Hard And Heavy", and that is the sound on these albums reminds me a lot of ZZ Top, the good early Bluesy Rock era. It is that sound that makes Bill Durst's music so unique, especially amongst Canadian Blues Rockers, for whom no one comes close. Also take the fact that Bill Durst, "has long been compared to the best guitar player/singer/entertainers anywhere in the world", and you have the perfect Trifecta needed for really great rockin' albums. Picking 3 favorites was not an easy task as "Hard And Heavy" hits you with one great tune after the other, but never the less, I chose the opener, "Devil And The Deep", Track 7 "Gimme That Something", and the closer, "Fly Away Home". Both "Devil And The Deep", and "Gimme That Something", were great ZZ Top style rockers, with laid back Vocals and up front Grinding Guitar. This is the kind of stuff I can listen to all day. "Fly Away Home" clocked in as the second shortest song on "Hard And Heavy", but it was packed with the most amount of lyrical and musical punch. Really loved that one...

For those of you whom like you Blues Rock in the styling of ZZ Top and beyond, "Hard And Heavy" is a must have beauty.

Hard And Heavy [2013]