Daddy Long Legs – King For A Day – Independent Release

Daddy Long Legs – King For A Day – Independent Release

Written by John Taylor

As a musical genre built upon tradition, blues tends to revere its elders. We value the voice of experience, often sacrificing the exuberance of youth in favour of presumed wisdom. But too much reliance on tradition leaves little room for innovation or exploration. To remain vital and exciting, blues must combine respect for what’s come before with the energy and restless musical curiosity of the young.

Enter Kitchener-based Daddy Long Legs, bursting from the speakers like a blast of fresh air with their sophomore release, “King For A Day.” With a thickly-textured, almost claustrophobically-dense sound owing much to the raucous energy of punk, guitarist Mike Elliott leads a relatively young (by blues standards) outfit through an all-original platter that simply smokes from beginning to end.

Kicking off with the title track, the boys waste no time in setting the stage; with throbbing, in-your-face bass and pounding drums, the ride is fast and furious. Both Ellliott’s guitar and Chris “Junior” Malleck’s harp have a harsh, angry edge, yet each tempers his contributions with taste and finesse. The sound is loud but there’s still ample room for subtlety, and solos are carefully considered for maximum effect. Elliott’s tone is the type that sends shivers down the spine, not so much in admiration as in fear – this guy’s downright dangerous, his fretwork snarling with brooding menace. Malleck is simply a marvel, his sound thick and greasy, his licks endlessly inventive. Bassist Steve Toms and drummer Jeff Wagner lock the grooves down tight, but the impression throughout is one of barely-controlled chaos, with exhilaration and exuberance threatening to overwhelm at any moment.

Song structures adhere primarily to recognizable blues conventions - a shuffle here, a grinding belly-rubber there, with solos pretty much where one would expect. But there are surprises – “Guilty” is a rollicking romp, the cautionary “One Drink Too Many” features a repetitive figure over which Malleck weaves harmonica magic, while “Drives The Girls Crazy” is a short, sweet blast of pure rock ‘n’ roll. Compositions are credited to the band as a whole, and while it’s obvious all have learned their lessons by listening to the masters, the sound here is definitely their own, with nary a cliché (instrumental or lyrical) to be found.

Recorded at Toronto’s Bassline Studios under the increasingly sure hand of owner/engineer Shane Scott, the disc marks the production debut of Steve Marriner, another of Canada’s rising stars and an accomplished harmonicist himself. Marriner contributes a fine vocal on the swampy “Take My Heart,” while guest Geoff Daye handles piano and organ throughout. The latter’s work on the moody, minor-key “Hide My Tears” is nothing short of masterful, and elsewhere his percussive piano proves an invaluable asset in terms of both texture and drive.

Every once in a while the blues needs a shakeup, something to blow the cobwebs away and revitalize the genre. “King For A Day” does just that, combining a healthy respect for the music’s history with unbridled enthusiasm and a fierce determination to keep it energetic and exciting.

A true eye-opener, this one’s very highly recommended …!

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