Sugar Ray And The Bluetones: “Too Far From The Bar” (2020) CD Review

As we move into what seems like the third year of this pandemic, who among us does not have the blues? Remember those days of going out, seeing friends, having dinner, catching a good band and drinking until we felt all right about the world? I miss the hell out of those simple things, those good old days of yesteryear. I am just thankful that bands are continuing to deliver excellent music to us on CD, to help us deal with our blues. Too Far From The Bar, the new release from Sugar Ray And The Bluetones, contains some fantastic blues, much of it with a classic feel to remove us from this less-than-ideal present. The album contains lots of original material, much of it written by Sugar Ray Norcia, with other band members contributing as well. The band is made up of Sugar Ray Norcia on vocals and harmonica. Charlie Baty on guitar, Anthony Geraci on piano, Michael “Mudcat” Ward on acoustic bass, and Neil Gouvin on drums, with Duke Robillard playing guitar on a few tracks. The disc includes liner notes by Charlie Baty and Duke Robillard.

The album opens with some good advice, “Don’t Give No More Than You Can Take,” a sort of variation on the “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” with Sugar Ray singing “Always remember, these words are true/What you do to somebody, they can do to you.” The title line is repeated fairy often on the track, driving the point home, but this song has a delicious classic sound, and features some great work on both keys and guitar, particularly during that excellent instrumental section halfway through. And then Sugar Ray delivers a great lead on harmonica. What more could you ask for from an opening track? This song is a cover, written by Lowman Pauling and originally performed by The “5” Royales, who released it on a single in 1960. The band follows that with another cover, Sonny Boy Williamson’s “Bluebird Blues.” You don’t have to wait long for some cool work on harmonica on this track. The harmonica is a strong presence right from the start, and has plenty to say throughout, and helps make this rendition stand out.

Then we start getting into the album’s original material, beginning with the title track, “Too Far From The Bar,” a fun tune about the waiter seating a party too far from the bar and so having to run back and forth between the table and the bar often. It is told from the perspective of the party, saying the waiter is too slow and seems to not understand that this is a group of serious drinkers. “If you don’t want to get behind/Bring them drinks on two at a time.” Remember those days when we could gather at a bar? Seems a lifetime ago. This band is grooving and jamming, and the track features some great work on guitar. Man, this track is making me thirsty. It was written by Sugar Ray Norcia. It’s followed by another song written by Sugar Ray Norcia, “Too Little Too Late,” a slower and seriously wonderful number, with a good amount of soul. What a heartfelt vocal performance. “Well, I never told you/What you really meant to me/And I didn’t hold you/So you never knew/What was I thinking/What did I do.” Yes, a song of regrets, and again with a great classic sound. I am particularly fond of that work on keys, which helps make this one of my personal favorite tracks. That’s followed by “Reel Burner,” a lively and grooving instrumental tune, driven by that harmonica. This one demands some volume.

“You know, I’m just crazy about you, baby” Sugar Ray sings at the beginning of “Can’t Hold Out Much Longer,” but sadly it’s an unrequited craziness. This is a Little Walter song. “Well, there ain’t but one thing, mama, that makes your daddy drink/You say that you don’t love me, and I begin to think.” Oh no. And yes, this track includes more good work on harmonica, while that great, slow rhythm keeps everything together. That’s followed by “Number And Dumb,” a song written by Sugar Ray Norcia. “I’m going to keep on drinking/I feel like getting numb and dumb,” he sings in this one. I think we all totally understand that. It seems numb might be the best way to be these days. Anything more is just too goddamn much, you know?  This song is about dealing with woman troubles, but it works just as well for dealing with the state of the country. It includes a good lead on guitar. Then we get a fun rendition of Jerry McCain’s “My Next Door Neighbor,” originally released as a single in 1957. This song is about an annoying neighbor who constantly wants to borrow stuff. What makes this version special is that totally delicious guitar work approximately halfway through. And I love Sugar Ray’s shout of “Take it home, and don’t bring it back” just before the end.

Things then get seriously cool with “What I Put You Through,” written by Michael Ward. It’s about a man looking back at his wilder days, admitting that “It never crossed my mind what I put you through.” He tells us, “I never heard you crying, and I never saw you blue.” So it’s not like he’s a bad guy, not a callous type of character. But something has caused this realization, right? And in the second half of the song, we learn just what that something is. I love that instrumental section, which features some jazzy drum work, some great stuff on guitar, plus some really cool work on bass. It is that bass line that stands out the moment the track begins. This is another of my personal favorites. That’s followed by a cover of Otis Spann’s “What Will Become Of Me,” a slower number featuring some great stuff on keys and a really good, soulful vocal performance. “Sometimes I wonder what in the world is gonna become of me/‘Cause everywhere I go, you know, man, I get the third degree.” For me, it’s that work on piano that really stands out and pulls me in, and makes this track something special.

Sugar Ray And The Bluetones deliver an excellent rendition of “I’ve Got A Right To Sing The Blues,” a song written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler. This one has a much smoother feel, a vocal performance more in line with the crooners. The track features more great work on guitar. That’s followed by “From The Horse’s Mouth,” a more cheerful number, one to get you swaying and moving, that piano sounding so good. This track was written by Anthony Geraci. Then “The Night I Got Pulled Over,” written by Michael Ward, is an unusual one because of the vocal delivery, which is done in a jazzy spoken work style, telling the story of getting pulled over. And actually, though told from the perspective of the driver, it begins with the cop’s line, “License and registration.” This track is oddly captivating and delicious, and there is a good sense of humor about it. “Oh my/I waited/And I waited some more/I had my suspicions as to why he pulled me over/I decided I wasn’t going to keep them to myself.” That’s followed by “Walk Me Home,” which has a good groove and more great stuff on harmonica and piano. This is such an enjoyable album, from beginning to end. The album concludes with an alternate take of “Reel Burner,” to keep you energized as you head out to face whatever is left of our world.

CD Track List

1. Don’t Give No More Than You Can Take
2. Bluebird Blues
3. Too Far From The Bar
4. Too Little Too Late
5. Reel Burner
6. Can’t Hold Out Much Longer
7. Number And Dumb
8. My Next Door Neighbor
9. What I Put You Through
10. What Will Become Of Me
11. I Gotta Right To Sing The Blues
12. From The Horse’s Mouth
13. The Night I Got Pulled Over
14. Walk Me Home
15. Reel Burner

Too Far From The Bar is scheduled to be released on September 18, 2020 on Severn Records.