Glenn Patrik – Mr. Blues, Jr.

Glenn Patrik – Mr. Blues, Jr. / 2007 Self / 8 Tracks / http://www.glennpatrik.com /

Glenn Patrik is an institution of Kansas City. Individuals that are in the know with music from that area will know that he has been around in one form or another in Kansas City for over 40 years. However, this marks his first trek into the recorded realm. What is amazing from the onset of this EP is the fact that all the vibrancy and vitality of Patrik’s work is captured without any weakness by the producers of this album. The disc’s first track is “Talking To Me”, and it starts out with an intense drum line before swinging into some time-tested blues. The piece de resistance for “Talking To Me” is the vocals, which provide a wizened but ultimately sizzling sound to the track.

For those individuals that wish just to hear the capable musicians associated with Patrik, all one needs to do is to turn the track to “Candystick”. This instrumental takes things up a notch,, making for an instrumental that is neck and neck with the rest of the tracks on the disc in terms of quality and overall ability. Another strong point during “Mr. Blues, Jr.” is “(Goodbye) That’s All”. The instrumental progression is similar during this track as “Talking To Me”, but the slower tempo of this track showcases a different facet of Patrik’s ability. While not fiery in the same way as “Talking To Me”, “(Goodbye) That’s All” has a tremendous emotional component to it, showcasing the powerful feels of loss, as Patrik tries to cauterize himself from the pain inflicted by a former lover. The speed is ratcheted back up for the next track, “Highway 62 Blues”, and something new is inserted into the mix. This addition is that of a more folksy style that, while rooted in the blues tradition, opens Patrik’s possible venues for the second half of the EP.

The previously mentioned instrumental track “Candystick” will remind individuals of the psychedelic rock movement of the sixties generally and of something like the Animals specifically. There may only be eight tracks on this EP, but individuals will have no problem keeping this in their CD players for months to come. The guitar work on this EP is the reason why – individuals will be able to continually listen as they dissect and further digest the lively arrangements that are present during the EP. Check out Patrik’s Myspace or web site to get a copy of “Mr. Blues, Jr.”.

Top Track: Candystick

Rating: 7.4/10