If you think of modern day blues-rockers, a “swing” approach is usually not in the mix — just your standard 12-bar blues. But Liz Mandeville’s 2008 release, Red Top, shows that the singer/guitarist is dedicated to merging both old-time styles together. Playing on a rather un-bluesy six-string (an Ibanez — which is usually reserved for heavy metal speed demons), Mandevillle also throws a full horn section into the mix, resulting in some of the more full-sounding blues-rock of recent times. Examples include the album-opening title track (which is also arguably the album’s best track), “My Baby’s Her Baby Too” (which features some pretty darn impressive Albert King-esque lead work), and the simply blaring “Guilty of Rockin’ All Night.” Liz Mandeville may be one of the few female blues-rockers of the early 21st century, but Red Top easily measures up to the rest of the pack. – Greg Prato
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