Peter Shonk and Blues Avalanche2002Independent

Peter Shonk and Blues Avalanche - 2002 - Independent

Written by Tim Holek

The best CDs come with no pre-conceived notions. You know, those discs you pick up even though you don't know the band that well and the music just floors you? Peter Shonk's self-titled debut is one of those discs.

Together since 1982, this avalanche is not of the sudden or overwhelming type. Far from it, their brand of laid-back blues can be dished out with dinner. The sound is somewhat in the vein of Rick Holmstrom/Rod Piazza, Little Charlie/Rick Estrin and Anson Funderburgh/Sam Myers. Although based in Quebec, their music leads you to believe they hail Stateside where they were raised on grits and chitlins.

Peter Shonk (singer/songwriter, harmonica and slide guitar player) has been performing professionally since 1975. Guitarist/vocalist Jocelyn Goulet, who founded Quebec City's first blues band in 1977, joined Shonk 1999. Their harp and guitars are at this group's forefront. Rounding out the rhythm is Louis Dugal (bass) and Andre Bouchard (drums).

They are a true Canadian band with credits and liner notes appearing in both official languages.

You will musically feast on 11 songs (only four are covers) about women, nightlife, and getting old over a span of 54 minutes. Like black ice, Quebec City Women is slick and has you caught in its grasp before you realize it. The lyrics will inspire any red-blooded man to race off to Quebec for the ladies.

Bouchard brushes the skins on Mose Allison's Nightclubs while Peter rips on harp. John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom is a brilliant cover to select. Here, the guitar and harp intertwine themselves perfectly. Jocelyn's big fat west-coast guitar gets jazzy midway through I Don't Want To Ever. Like any highly experienced band, Blues Avalanche demonstrates their ace professionalism by quickly adapting to this change of pace.

The group's sense of humour ranges from being subtle to blunt. Old Age Blues is a fun shuffle about the downside of the aging process with lyrics like, "Might have to take ginseng as long as I don't have to take viagara." And what middle-aged male is not able to relate to Internet Blues? This modern, slow blues gem is about a man who loses his lady via the world wide web. She finds someone better, with a hard drive instead of a floppy drive!

Rock Tonight is pure, genuine, house-rockin' music influenced by the great Hound Dog Taylor. Notably, Peter's voice isn't as supercharged as his sweet, soothing slide. Shonk's vocals match many of the song's unobtrusive tempos, yet his harp and slide are wicked.

This CD came out in 2000 but it didn't come my way until recently. The good news is - unlike today's pre-fabricated music - Blues Avalanche comes without gimmicks. Only the music matters here, especially the feral harp and thrilling guitars. If the women don't draw you to Quebec City, the blues on this CD will.

Copyright 2003. Review by Tim Holek.

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