Eric Hughes Band: “Postcard From Beale Street” (2020) CD Review

Postcard From Beale Street is a perfect title for an Eric Hughes Band album. This group has been performing on that famous street in Memphis for years, playing thousands of shows there, and this album is the group’s way of sharing a bit of that Memphis sound with the rest of the world. A sort of “Wish you were here” message written on the back of a postcard. And listening to it, you will likely wish you were there as well. The album features all original material, written by Eric Hughes. It is the blues, sure, but with elements of rock, jazz and even jug band music. The band is made up of Eric Hughes on vocals, guitar, jug and percussion; Walter Hughes on guitar and backing vocals; Leo Goff on bass; Brian Aylor on drums and percussion; Rick Steff on keyboards; Marc Franklin on trumpet; Kirk Smothers on saxophone; and Mick Kolassa on spoons and backing vocals.

The band kicks off this album with “Ain’t Whipped Yet,” a song I think we can all appreciate, a song we should sing together, with lines like “Sometimes bad luck’s all I get/But I ain’t whipped yet/I stand my ground” and “I may go down/But I ain’t whipped yet.” And there is certainly some humor in the song, in lines like “Yea, though I walk/Through the Valley of Death/I fear no evil/I’m a little evil myself/I can take a lot/More than you’ve got.” Plus, there is some delightful work on keys. Sometimes we need a little reminder of our own strength. Sometimes we need a little kick in the ass. This song is that kick, and a joyous one at that. We aren’t whipped yet, folks! That’s followed by “Oh, Booze!”  I could do without the scratchy sound of the record at the beginning, but that soon disappears, and this song is absolutely wonderful. It has an old-time jazz feel, perfect for a song about liquor, particularly one that uses the word “booze,” taking us back to the 1920s, to the days of speakeasies and the troubles of alcohol. Check out these lines: “I don’t need a hug/Just pour my favorite drug/Suffice to say that I got issues/When the liquor starts to flow/I watch my troubles go.” I love this song. “All I got is the blues/But what I really want is booze.” Amen.

Then there is a sudden shift of gears, as we get a heavy electric blues sound on “He’s Just An Alley Cat,” a song that provides a warning from a man to a woman about her man. Oh, why is it that people sometimes are completely blind to a boyfriend or girlfriend’s true nature? But of course, this is from another man’s perspective, and we don’t know how accurate his perceptions are. Depends on his motives, I suppose. “Girl, you know you shouldn’t feed a wild thing like that/That man of yours, he’s just an alley cat.” The group then returns to a classic groove and sound on “Follow Your Stupid Little Dreams.” This is another total delight, and it offers some damn good advice. “The reason why so many just want you to fail/They want you to join them in their little jail/But I say follow your stupid little dreams/Keep on chasing rainbows and gathering moonbeams.” And I dig that harmonica. Music like this is just exactly what I need right now. “Homesick Angel” has a sweet vibe, a sort of southern rock sound, particularly with those harmonies.

On “Fair Weather Friends” the horns help to deliver some bright and positive sounds. “In the good old times, how they love to clown/Everyone’s your buddy/Until the road gets muddy.” These days it seems like people have disappeared, even if they haven’t. Because of the pandemic, it has been a mighty long time since I’ve seen friends. The band then gives us a mellower acoustic blues number, “Blackberry Patch,” which features some good guitar work. That’s followed by “Come See About Me,” which has a sweet, relaxed feel, and features some really nice work on harmonica. Yes, when we’re feeling low, we need that someone special to come check in on us, to lift us up. And during the pandemic, how many people have had to make do without that? “Waiting For That Day” is a rocking blues song that has a positive bent, with lines like “I’ll keep playing ‘cause I’m bound to win/Someday, someday I’ll be wearing a big old grin/I may have trouble, but I’ve got dreams” and “Everything’s gonna go my way/I’ll be waiting for that day.” We could all use that sort of optimism, particularly now. And, yes, this track features more good stuff on harmonica. The album concludes with “It’s 4:20 Somewhere,” the pot-smoking version of the old drinking expression “It’s 5 o’clock somewhere.” I always thought that expression was kind of silly. I mean, who needs an excuse to drink in the morning? Likewise, who needs an excuse to get high? And if you really need one, just watch the news for like ten seconds. There. Anyway, this song is kind of adorable. It is also pretty short; they’re not dwelling on this idea. “I ain’t talking about no cake/When I say let’s go bake/If we step out back/There won’t be no attack/If I wander off/It ain’t because I’m lost.”

CD Track List

1. Ain’t Whipped Yet
2. Oh, Booze!
3. He’s Just An Alley Cat
4. Follow Your Stupid Little Dreams
5. Homesick Angel
6. Fair Weather Friends
7. Blackberry Patch
8. Come See About Me
9. Waiting For That Day
10. It’ 4:20 Somewhere

Postcard From Beale Street was released on April 25, 2020 on Endless Blues Records.