Ain't Giving Up

by Chris Duarte

Overview

Chris Duarte emerged in the early '90s as a hotshot guitar slinger in the vein of Stevie Ray Vaughan. He's never shaken that reputation in the subsequent decades, nor has he attempted to lose it: he's a purveyor of lively blues-rock steeped in the Texas tradition. Ain't Giving Up falls squarely in that category -- there are times when Duarte's Strat sounds gargantuan, as on the opening fanfare to the SRV-inspired instrumental "Can Opener" -- but where his albums have sometimes seemed like extended excuses to jam, this 2023 set keeps the focus on songs and boogie. The concision and precision, when combined with heavier rhythms and distorted vocals, make Ain't Giving Up sound like a rocking roadhouse, tunes that keep a beer joint hopping from happy hour to last call. It's not only a welcome variation on Duarte's Lone Star blues, it might be the most fun he's ever had on record. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	04/14/2023
Label:	Provogue
UPC:	0810020508352
Rank:	30058

Tracks

1. Nobody But You
2. Big Fight
3. Bye,Bye,Bye
4. Can Opener
5. Gimme Your Love
6. Come My Way
7. Half as Good as Two
8. Lies Lies Lies
9. Ain't Giving Up on Us
10. Look What U Made Me Do
11. The Real Low Down
12. Weal Days

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Chris Duarte   Primary Artist,Vocals,Guitar
Jessica Will   Bass
Jim Scott   Benju
Brannen Temple   Univox,Drums

Technical Credits

Jim Arbogast   Photography
Howie Weinberg   Mastering
Jim Scott   Engineer
Brannen Temple   Programming
Dennis Herring   Producer,Mixing
Chris Duarte   Composer
Benjamin Knapp   Assistant Engineer
Beth Lee   Composer