Noah Wotherspoon - Buzz Me

For now, Noah Wotherspoon is just one more in the massive pack of today's young, hotshot blues guitarists. The baby-faced prodigies, paced by the likes of Jonny Lang, have a huge share in today's blues market - so much so that lumping together all such usually white kids becomes easy and somewhat necessary. Don't make that mistake with Wotherspoon, the 19-year-old bluesman from Dayton, Ohio. His debut release, Buzz Me, will make fans and guitar slingers alike THINK. Wotherspoon may be jumping an already-steady-rolling train, but he may just be the best one yet to ride.

To ground any notion that this release is not real blues, APO called on their friend Hubert Sumlin for a few tracks to bring some roots stew to Wotherspoon's incredible guitar technique and more-than-meets-the-eye vocals.

And as Jimi Hendrix guru John McDermott noted in the liners for Buzz Me, "A litnay of musical influences is evident throughout the record. Wotherspoon's admiration for Stevie Ray Vaughan is clear, just as a healthy measure of country and western can also be heard."

Seven of the eleven tracks on Buzz Me were penned by Noah or his Stratocat mates, Josh Johnson (drums) and Marty Romie (Bass). With the propulsion from thier first release, Noah & The Stratocats are likely to buzz your area sometime soon. Don't miss the next guard on its way up!

What people are saying:
"On his debut disc, Wotherspoon proves he is capable of writing admirable tunes. Seven of the eleven tracks were written by him or his band. Chad Kassem's disciplined production has captured the essence of blues/rock via the good old-fashioned analogue approach." - Tim Holek, Southwest Blues, January '04

"I'm not the biggest fan of Stevie Ray or texas blues. I generally stray to the more progressive sound of Dream Theater, Steve Morse & the like. But after seeing these guys live at the Home Theater Expo at the New York City Hilton, I'll have a whole new respect for this style of music. Their musicianship is top notch. Each member of the trio is a prodigy in their own right. When combined they're unstoppable. They are the "Rush" of texas blues. Yet, their music is never boring or over complicated. Lending the attention more to the song structure than to showing off their amazing musical skills. Noah is way beyond his years in his musical knowledge & it shows in his music. Not to mention his live performance. Buy this album & see them live. You won't be dissappointed." - A music fan from Long Island, NY

"Songmaking used to be simple. You thought up some lyrics, found a supporting guitar riff, and added some drum work to roll the song along. It was a labor of love, not dollars. When you performed, the tune was not overproduced to death, but kept humanistic and clean. To find this simplicity still alive and well as personified by Noah Wotherspoon & The Stratocats is very refreshing. On their major label debut, Buzz Me, the band offers an engaging set of country blues rock. Four covers (Lookin' Good, Walking Dr. Bill, Cloudy Day, The Sky Is Crying) support the seven originals nicely. The album ranges from the jazzy blues of Satori In Chicago to the nearly ambient Underpass At Sunrise. But the highlights are The Highway Song and Leave My Mama Alone. The Highway Song starts off with beautiful guitar work that carries the song along with Noah's confident, raspy lyrics. It's bluesy rock at its finest. Leave My Mama Alone is calmer, but no less meaningful. The intermittent piano chords during the chorus interact with the band beautifully. Buzz Me is not an absolutely awesome album, but it's very good; and shows the promise of things to come. If you like Pete Yorn, Tom Petty, or the soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou?, give Noah Wotherspoon & The Stratocats a listen." - Chris Betche

1. Buzz Me

2. The Highway Song

3. Lookin' Good

4. Cold Hearts

5. Pee Wee's Theme

6. Leave My Mama Alone

7. Satori in Chicago

8. Walking Dr. Bill

9. Cloudy Day

10. The Sky is Crying

11. Underpass At Sunrise

Be the first to write a review for this item OR just rate it