Low Society

Sanctified       

Rezonate Records

This is the third album from the band called Low Society. The band is the brainchild of lead singer Mandy Lemons and guitarist Sturgis Nikides. They released their debut recording “High Time” in 2011. Their follow-up was 2014’s “You Can’t Keep a Good Woman Down”. The title track from that album received a huge amount of airplay and can still be heard on blues radio stations across the country.

This album opens with the John Prine classic “Angel From Montgomery” which first appeared on his 1971 self-titled album. The song was further popularized when it was recorded by Bonnie Raitt on her 1974 “Streetlights” album. Lemons voice has both clarity and power and so the Low Society version is a good one. Nikides is also featured on slide guitar.

“Raccoon Song” is the first of seven songs co-written by Lemons and Nikides. The new rhythm section consists of Jacky Verstraten, bass; and Bart De Bruecker, drums; who lay down a great beat. The rhythm tracks were recorded at the Closed Session Studio in Roeselare Belgium. Lemons and Nikides and all additional recording and mixing was done at the American Recording Studio in Memphis by recording engineer Will Danger.

“The Freeze” is an interesting groove with Rick Steff added on organ. The title track, “Sanctified” has a country rock sound; once again Nikides is on slide. “River of Tears” is another of my favorites. “Drowning Blues” is a heavy number written by Nikides who sings lead while Lemons sings harmony. On “Here Comes The Flood” keyboardist Steff switches to piano.

The album closes with the classic “I’d Rather Go Blind” written by Ellington Jordan and Billy Foster and first recorded by Etta James in 1967. This new version is rearranged and sung nicely by Lemons.

The band is as much influenced by classic rock as they are by the blues which is one of the reasons why this album works so well.

Richard Ludmerer

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