Andrew Duncanson

California Trap

Run It Back Records

Andrew Duncanson had been the lead singer in The Kilborn Alley Blues Band. Their very first album was released in 2003 on Peedee Records; no other info on this recording is available. The band’s next four albums were on Nick Moss’s Blue Bella Records, distributed by Burnside Distribution. On “Put It in the Alley,” the five-member band included singer/guitarist Duncanson, harp player Joe Asselin, organist Gerry Hundt, bassist Christopher Breen, and drummer Edward O’Hara. As a result, the band received a 2007 Blues Music Award nomination as “Best New Artist Debut.” Their sophomore effort, “Tear Chicago Down,” also produced by Moss, received a 2008 BMA nomination this time for “Contemporary Blues Album of the Year.” During the BMA weekend, they opened the show at The Gibson Guitar Factory. In 2010, The KABB followed up with “Better Off Now” and a year later “Four,” both albums produced by Moss, and they received their third BMA nomination this time for “Band of The Year.” Follow-up albums included 2017’s “The Tolono Tapes” and “Takin’ Time,” both on the new Run It Back Records.

This new album is the first in Andrew Duncanson’s name and is co-produced with Michael Peloquin, who contributes the horn arrangements, songwriting on one song, and harmonica throughout the recording. Most of the songs are written by Duncanson as the album opens with the optimistic “Relearning To Climb,” as he sings, “When I was a kid, I’d fall and scrape my knee, never scared to climb the highest tree. I look back, what happened to that kid, and the fearless way he lived? I’m trying a new state of mind, re-learning to climb.” Featured are guitarist, Kid Andersen, bassist, Jerry Jemmott, drummer, Derrick “D’Mar” Martin, organist, Jim Pugh, backing vocalists, Tia Carroll, Lisa Leuschner-Andersen, and Lara Price, and the horn section of Peloquin.
tenor saxophone; Ed Morrison, trumpet; and Mike Rinta, trombone.

“Naw, Naw, Naw” is a song of regret with the lyric “Well I walk around, in this cold, cold town, keeping warm on a, half pint of Crown, you drive by, on the side street, look away, look away, when our eyes meet”; Mike Rose takes a fine trumpet solo. “Hold Me Back ” features Peloquin on harmonica and could be about  Trump. “your daddy was a fake tycoon; you were born with a silver
spoon, just like your grandpa, it’s time for you to stop running’ your jaw. if I see you in a tavern, Jack, It’d take all twelve apostles, to hold me back. You’re out here starting’ wars; you’ve never been in a fight before; you never had to pay a bill; got me out here, losing’ my chill… I feel bad for you in many ways; to forgive is what the good book says. You never drove a used car, never had your ass kicked in a bar; if I see you in a tavern, Jack, it’ll take all twelve apostles, to hold me back.”

“California Trap” features guitar and bass from Kid Andersen, and baritone sax from Peloquin. “Town Saint” is a funky tune as Duncanson sings, “town saint, town sinner, drinks beer, says grace at the family dinner, calls his mom every day, if she’s got a problem, he’s on his way, don’t own a suit, can’t tie a tie, got a button-down shirt, case somebody dies…cousins on dad’s side and all that kin, get out of jail and go back again, he can’t run with that crew no more, got a little baby girl just turning four.” “Outer Space” follows “getting ready to jump, jump into outer space, been sittin’ too long, sittin’ too long, in one damn place.”

“What Kind of Man” is the Peloquin original “things he’s done, mistakes made, inexcusable, he’s tried everything he could, just to make it up to her, climbed mountains high, swam rivers deep, to show, his love, for her…digging out of that hole, that he dug in.” “This Land Is Your Land” is the Woody Guthrie classic but with a Latin-styled funky beat, inspired by a version done by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. “Feeling Better Now” with piano from Baxter Robertson, includes the lyric “Well, I’m feelin’ better now. I feel like a brand new child.”

“Next Life” is another great vocal from Duncanson “rusted strings from cold sweats, blood and tears on the guitar frets, take a drink to the blood, don’t chase it back with thoughts of love, oh what a mess, the next life will be the best”. “More Lows Than Highs” is a philosophical take on mortality: “I don’t know much; I’m just a singin’ man, trevelin’ round, doin’ the best I can, but I found out, let me hip you why, there’s more lows, more lows than highs, sure as shit, and houseflies; there’s more lows, more lows than highs.” “It’s A Pleasure” was written by Mighty Mike Schermer, this time with Peloquin playing a chromatic harmonica, drummer Paul Revelli, and background vocalists the Sons of the Soul Revivers: James, Dwayne, and Walter Morgan. On the optimistic closer, Duncanson sings, “I was a fool, oh baby yes I was, oh yes I was, then you found me out and all day long I’m singin’ I’m better, better, I’m better off now than I used to be.”

Andrew Duncanson’s singing has drawn comparisons to legendary artists like Howlin’ Wolf, Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, Junior Wells, and Van Morrison. Duncanson’s ability to transition from a raw, gritty style to a soulful, expressive one has drawn continuous critical praise. That can be heard throughout on “California Trap.”

Richard Ludmerer

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