When Frank Sultana won the International Blues Challenge in 2023, little did he realise where this win would lead him. Whiilst it may be unwise to say that it has caused a meteoric rise in his popularity, it has certainly given rise to a certain confidence in his song-writing and performance following the acceptance of his music as authentic from one of the birthplaces of the blues, Memphis, Tennessee. It has also brought his activity within the Australian blues scene much more to the fore.
Following on from his win, he subsequently released an album titled The Ghosts of Sun 2023 at Sun Studio in Memphis, which was soon followed by a further album, Have Band, Will Travel (reviewed on Backseat Mafia here). Shortly after this, he supported Beretta Sullivan (Nathan Beretta and Dan Sullivan) in their attempt to be the fourth Australian act to win at The International Blues Challenge.
To that end, Sultana helped the duo record their debut album, The Loft Sessions (also reviewed here on Backseat Mafia) which he produced at his Loft Studio, prior to them leaving for the US.
Introducing Vintage Sounds In Modern Blues by the band called BROTHERS was the next logical step in the sequence, with Sultana teaming up with his Frank Sultana Band band-mate, Dan Sullivan (harmonica/vocals) and good friend Nathan Beretta (guitar/vocals) and recording another full album, once again at the legendary Sun Studio in Memphis, Tennessee during the time the trio travelled in the US for Nathan and Dan to compete in the Memphis Challenge. With an air of sensibility and a large dose of cameraderie, Brothers became the name of the band the trio formed.
The album is comprised of 10 sensational tracks, all of which have been penned by the trio with the exception of the closing track, the Willie Dixon-penned Built For Comfort.
What is most outstanding about this album is the synergy shared between these Aussie blues troubadors. They compliment each other in a way that only comes from having total confidence in their ability to seemlessly bring together their strengths and deliver an album of quality, authentic blues music……and deliver it does.
Opening track, Too Many Women is a perfect start, with its’ rollicking swing and jive nodding to the close relationship that existed between the blues and early (and even later) rock and roll music – music that formed part of the musical upbringing of all three of our protagonists.
All Down Hill From Here is classic down and dirty Sultana fare, with some gems of lines in the lyrics such as “You’re a sweet little kitten, but you make love like a wildcat down a dirty lane. When you swing your tail, you drive a man insane!” weaving their way through themes of loneliness, desire, yearning and inevitability all the while being driven by a badass bass line and some gritty harmonica and guitar work.
Hard Working Woman and Winter In The City both see the best of Dan Sullivan’s harmonica playing, taking the lead in both songs whilst creating further mood in Winter In The City before the guitars take over, creating a sound somewhat reminiscent of now-defunct US blues rockers Moreland & Arbuckle.
Quicksand Blues is a semi spoken word piece which tells of some of the adventures the trio had during parts of their journeys in the Memphis/Clarkdale regions, a song which will undoubtedly become a singalong favourite for regular fans of the trio’s live shows. This is followed up by another of the Nathan Beretta-penned numbers, The Doors-like Love Me Right.
A Buddy Guy infused guitar riff underpins Rainy Days and once again features one of Dan’s fabulous harmonica solos along with Frank’s amazing use of vibrato on the vocals.
Uptime is the band’s swinging instrumental – a perfect vehicle for their live shows which will be sure to get people up and dancing to its’ upbeat rhythm.
The penultimate track, Can’t Stop Time is a somewhat mournful tribute to aging, the move away from excess and the loss of the exuberance of youth.
Built For Comfort closes out the album and is a direct nod to the classic Chicago blues style and one of its’ foremost protagonists and which has featured so prominently in the Memphis blues scene, and one which Brothers have picked up and championed throughout this album.
Throughout the album, the 3 Aussies employed the services of Lee Williams on drums and Heather Crosse on bass, two friends that Dan and Frank met while on previous visits to Memphis and Clarkdale. Their playing perfectly compliments the music the Australian trio have laid down. What is spectacularly obvious is the way that Sultana, Beretta and Sullivan have combined their individual talents on all of the songs, allowing each other to not only shine individually, but just as well collectively.
Introducing Vintage Sounds In Modern Blues should be another album to go down in the growing history of Australian blues music as a classic.
The album is only currently available at live shows or by contacting Frank Sultana via his website by clicking here. Do yourself a favour…..
