The Nick Moss Band & Dennis Gruenling — “Get Your Back Into It!” — Alligator Records
When Chicago blues guitarist Nick Moss joined musical forces with longtime friend and furious blues harp wizard Dennis Gruenling in 2016, they created a tough bluesy sound that honored what came before them, but was entirely their own.
They released two albums on Alligator: “The High Cost Of Low Living” in 2018 and “Lucky Guy!” in 2019.
Together, they have received five Blues Music Awards, with wins in 2020 for Band Of The Year, Song Of The Year (“Lucky Guy!“) and Traditional Blues Album Of The Year (“Lucky Guy!”), and in 2019 for Traditional Blues Male Artist (Moss) and Instrumentalist—Harmonica (Gruenling).
So yeah, they’re pretty darned good.
After a pandemic hiatus, they are back with the effervescent “Get Your Back Into It!,” another rollicking session pumped with 14 originals filled with their unique blend of high-frequency music and sharp songwriting.
The album jumps into high gear immediately with “Bait in the Snare” (video below), a rocking jump blues, followed by “Aurelie,” a steady-driving blues loaded with tough harp about a French lady who it’s hard to connect with because — no French. The title track follows, stepping up the Chicago sound with fierce solos by Gruenling and pianist Taylor Streiff wailing about a snack of “forbidden fruit.”
“Man on the Move” jumps out with Gruenling on harp and vocals, followed by the change-of-pace scorcher “Living in Heartache,” a throwback to hard-edged Chicago laced with stinging guitar. “It Shocks Me Out,” rocks back in a stop-time number with an old-time R&B feel. The instrumental “Out of the Woods” breaks the heavy blues mood with a lighthearted jazz combo feel featuring John Kattke on organ and Gordon Beadle on sax and a sparkling Moss solo.
“Choose Wisely” is a smooth throwback blues with lyrical guitar and harp backing, “Your Bark Is Worse Than Your Bite,” features Gruenling again with another easy, classic sound that fits just right. Moss chugs back hard with his vocals on “Losing Ground,” with standout guitar and harp solos.
Pierce Downer’s drumming with a rhumba attitude pulsates through the instrumental, “Bones’ Cantina,” then “Lonely Fool” drives back to basic broken-hearted empty-bed blues. “The Solution” looks back in honor of the great Chicago blues guitarist Jimmy Johnson, who died last year at 93. The closer is Moss with his own surf-guitar sound on the instrumental “Scratch ‘n’ Sniff.”
“Get Your Back Into It!” is another enthusiastic effort from Moss and Gruenling, who have taken the best of what they’ve learned from the blues world, filtered it through their own talented musical sensibilities, and created another winning album.
“The Bait in the Snare” from “Get Your Back Into It!”
Track list & credits:
- The Bait In The Snare
- Aurelie
- Get Your Back Into It
- Man On The Move *
- Living In Heartache
- It Shocks Me Out
- Out Of The Woods
- Choose Wisely
- Your Bark Is Worse Than Your Bite *
- Losing Ground
- Bones’ Cantina
- Lonely Fool
- The Solution
- Scratch ‘N’ Sniff
Nick Moss: Guitar, Vocals (except as noted), Foot on “Your Bark Is Worse Than Your Bite”
Dennis Gruenling: Harmonica, Vocals on “Man On The Move” and “Your Bark Is Worse Than Your Bite”
Taylor Streiff: Piano and Keyboards (except as noted)
Rodrigo Mantovani: Upright and Electric Bass, Percussion
Pierce Downer: Drums
plus
“Sax” Gordon Beadle: Saxophones
“Brother” John Kattke: Organ on “Out Of The Woods”
The Nick Moss Band Featuring Dennis Gruenling: Background Vocals
All songs by Nick Moss, Eyeball Music, BMI, except as noted *
“Man On The Move” and “Your Bark Is Worse Than Your Bite”
Dennis Gruenling, Small Scale Music, ASCAP
Blues Roadhouse 