Champagne & Grits

by Little Axe

Overview

Skip McDonald's Little Axe returns for Champagne and Grits, and it could well be the band's finest, most expansive set yet. Little Axe's brand of blues-gospel-dub is probably the most interesting and adventurous of all the projects that attempt to infuse new life into the blues, and Champagne and Grits rivals their debut not only for an outstanding set of tunes, but for sheer sonic experimentation as well. Skip runs the show with plenty of help from producer Adrian Sherwood, and of course Doug Wimbish and Keith LeBlanc are on hand as well. The set starts with a pure acoustic blues, but then enters territory charted only by this band. It's still the blues, but there are gospel-flavored vocals, eerie harmonica, and fantastic dub elements all combined into a singular style. Disembodied vocals and sermons waft in and out of the ether, along with washes of electronica, soulful blues guitar, and wicked basslines. A couple of the tracks venture a bit further into reggae territory (with some help from Junior Delgado), but it still all feels bluesy despite the additional trappings. McDonald knows and respects the past, but he knows how to build on it, not enshrine it. Little Axe is the only band that does what it does, and does it brilliantly. Ancient to the future. Highly recommended. ~ Sean Westergaard

Product Details

Release Date:	09/21/2018
Label:	Echo Beach
UPC:	4015698019483

Tracks

1. People Grinning in Your Face
2. Finger on the Trigger
3. Mean Things
4. Go Away Devil
5. All in the Same Boat
6. Living and Sleeping in a Dangerous Time
7. Will I Ever Get Back Home Again
8. Sinners

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Little Axe   Primary Artist
Clubfoot   Guitar
Bernard O'Neil   Double Bass,Bass (Upright)
Dave Foster   Harmonica
Dorie Jackson   Vocals (Background)
Ghetto Priest   Vocals
Shara Nelson   Guest Artist,Vocals
Doug Wimbish   Guitar (Bass),Guest Artist,Bass
Bernard Fowler   Guest Artist,Vocals
Skip McDonald   Guitar,Vocals
Prithpal Rajput   Tabla
Keith LeBlanc   Drums
Denise Sherwood   Vocals (Background)
Chris Difford   Vocals
Junior Delgado   Vocals
Dorothy Jackson   Vocals (Background)
Alan Glen   Harmonica

Technical Credits

Nick Coplowe   Audio Engineer,Mixing,Engineer,Programming
Adrian Sherwood   Audio Production,Composer,Mixing,Producer
Skip McDonald   Audio Production,Photography,Performer,Producer
S. Nelson   Composer
Justin Hinds   Composer
Hilton Grove   Mastering
Craig Oddy   Photography
Derek Edwards   Graphic Design,Design
Chris Weinland   Programming,Engineer
Son House   Composer
Bernard Alexander   Composer