MARY STOKES BAND - Let 'er Roll (Repress) - CD

CD 

After the remarkable international success of our 2021 album, ‘Comin’ Home’, we were presented with an age old dilemma: How do we follow it? Our response was to relaunch our seminal album ‘Clouds In My Heart, Live in Dublin’ (1999) while we developed a plan for our next move.

Unintentionally, many of the same factors which had motivated the previous year’s recording session for ‘Comin’ Home’ were still in play, and they reasserted themselves. The continuation of Covid related issues restricted health, travel and touring for many musicians, including us. Key members of our band naturally drifted apart and needed to be replaced for a busy Summer performing schedule. We recruited the multi-talented Zamo Riffman to play bass guitar, and drummer extraordinaire Jay Oglesby, both of whom we had shared the stage with many times before.

Fully aware of the old adage about lightning never striking twice, we decided to try to attract it none the less. Returning to Displace Studios, we set up and began to run through some Blues shuffles to warm up and get a feel for playing together. We started with some material from our live set while the recording levels were dialled in. An hour later we were pleasantly surprised as songs by Little Walter, Big Walter, Muddy Waters and Otis Rush were already in the can. We tried a whimsical song that we often play live, Sid King’s 1955 Rockabilly hit ‘Let ‘Er Roll’ to which we added a spontaneous introduction describing a train pulling out of a station.

Feeling that we were then on a roll (so to speak) we took a short break, then returned invigorated to record ‘Blues On The Moon’, ‘As The Years Go Passing By’, ‘Too Many Drivers’ and other songs one after another.

We jammed a song by Sugar Pie De Santo, ‘Down In The Basement’, then quickly added our own version ‘On Suzy’s Rooftop’, inspired by our favourite place to hang out when we are in America. Before we left, we recorded two takes of ‘Sinnerboy’ in tribute to the great Irish Blues legend Rory Gallagher. Unable to decide if we preferred the energy of the first take, or the intensity of the second take, we included both versions here!

Our sincere thanks to everyone who supported our musical efforts during the past couple of years. We have been overwhelmed by the international interest, goodwill and airplay generated by our recent albums.

Tracklist:

1. Let 'Er Roll! [03:53]
2. Down In The Basement [02:18]
3. Dearest Darling [06:58]
4. Mean Old World [02:52]
5. Sinnerboy [04:23]
6. Blues On The Moon [05:10]
7. Have A Good Time [02:51]
8. As The Years Go Passing By [06:22]
9. It Takes Time [02:41]
10. I'm A Stranger Here [04:30]
11. Too Many Drivers [05:01]
12. On Suzy's Rooftop [02:41]
13. Blow Wind Blow [02:41]
14. I Wish You Would [08:03]
15. Sinnerboy (Reprise) [04:45]

MARY STOKES, vocals
SARAH MICHELLE, guitars and backing vocals
BREE HARRIS, dual vocal on ‘I’m A Stranger Here’ and second vocals on ‘Down in the Basement’, ‘On Suzy’s Rooftop’ and ‘Let ‘Er Roll’
BRIAN PALM, harmonica
ZAMO RIFFMAN, Bass
JAY OGLESBY, drums
DERMOT STOKES, piano
PETE HOLIDAI, second guitar on ‘Sinnerboy (Reprise)’and Lunar Melody on ‘Blues On The Moon’
HORNS arranged and recorded by Pete Holidai at Pilgrim Sound.

Recorded in Displace Studios, Dublin, December 16th 2021 by Tom Lee and Darren Roe. Mixed by Pete Holidai at Pilgrim Sound, Dublin. Mastered by Joe Chester.
CD reproduction Mid Atlantic Duplication.
Cover photos: Brian Palm
Design by Pat Pidgeon