Punk turned Americana country bluesman Peter Blast occupies a musical space vacated by Nikki Sudden and contested by a string of similar-minded outriders. This two-song CD single gives a glimpse of why the others are mostly pretenders.
He might look like his late friend Johnny Thunders’ Chicago cousin and Blast shares his plaintive vocal stylings, but the soulful music he makes is all his own. “Population Zero” is sparse, country blues dressed in a skeletal arrangement and spooky lap slide. Herein lies the Nikki Sudden comparison.
“Dance With Me” is wistful country blues with a full band. It’ a little Stones-y, a little Neil-ish, with fiddle and vocal assistance from Heather Horton. It’s sung from the lyrical vista of an older journeyman and it's as evocative as hell. There’s a new full-length promised but this will do for now.
Peter hawks his back catalogue on CD Baby so this will more than likely be available there.
3/4
