Dick Earl’s Electric Witness Get Up Off the Ground

October 25, 2024

Dick Earl’s Electric Witness

Get Up Off the Ground

Independent

This is the highly anticipated sophomore album from Dick Earl’s Electric Witness; it follows on the heels of 2020’s live self-titled album. This new studio album was recorded at the Tone Factory in Las Vegas. The band consists of family members and recently won third place in the band competition at the 2023 International Blues Challenge.

The lead off title track includes a great vocal, harmonica and guitar from Dick Earl Ericksen. The band is rounded out by Isaac Ericksen, bass and backing vocal; Mari Ericksen, drums, percussion and backing vocal; and additional backing vocalists Alice and Zoe Ericksen, as Dick Earl sings “when I was just a boy, my pappa told me son…if you ever get knocked down, get up off the ground”.

“Black Lines & White Crosses” includes some great percussion from Mari; it is story and narrative about finding a girl by the side of the road” with the lyric “keep on movin’, keep on pushin’ til you get back home”. “Eggs” is a lowdown funky song, “put your eggs in your own damn basket” with some more great harp from Dick Earl.

On “Sarah”, with Mike Green on organ, Dick Earl belts out, “she got pretty good with a knife in her hand…but she had different plans…she went to church on Sunday but the lord had different plans”. “The Vineyard” is another percussion heavy performance from Mari, with the horn section of Jimmy Carpenter, saxophone; Jason Levi, trumpet; and Jean-Francois Thbeault, trombone. “I Hear You Calling” is a great instrumental featuring Dick Earl on a resonator guitar.

“Once Again” includes a fabulous sax solo from Carpenter as Dick Earl croons “hard working mama, working from five-to-nine…you know she ain’t making overtime”. “Wishin'” is another great vocal from Earl as he chants “wishin’ that someone…dreamin’, dreamin’…but I’m not gonna cry…wishin’ that someone would set me free”.

“On Her Heart” starts with a slow intro, and then becomes a funky tune, with percussion from Mari, and more fine harp from Earl “oh, step away, oh, step away…she came to us looking for salvation…all she found was condemnation”. On “Left Standing” Earl chimes “the train left the station…but there is one thing you forgot, there is one thing you don’t recall, all you got to do is ride”, then there is a tempo change and the song becomes a gospel inspired rave-up. The closer “Into The Fire” includes the lyric “there is a fire, if you stand near the fire, I know you’ll feel the warmth…when you get too close you’ll get burned”.

Dick Earl states “I write about the struggles and victories that are natural parts of life. These songs represent our journey through trials and triumphs, how we approach, handle and emerge from hardship”. Dick Earl Ericksen proves himself a fine songwriter on this thoroughly enjoyable album.

Richard Ludmerer
Contributing Editor/Making A Scene

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