Sue Foley: “Pinky’s Blues” (2021) CD Review

Some really good music has come out of the pandemic, no question about it. Blues guitarist and singer Sue Foley’s new album, Pinky’s Blues, came about through a series of online concerts she performed with Mike Flanigan while music venues were mostly closed. It features a mix of covers and original material, and follows her excellent 2018 release, The Ice Queen. Mike Flanigan produced the album and plays organ on a couple of tracks. Also joining Sue Foley on this release are Jon Penner on bass, and Chris “Whipper” Layton on drums, with Jimmie Vaughan playing rhythm guitar on one track. The album has the feel and energy of a live performance. It was recorded in just three days, and has that spontaneous spark of a live show.

The album opens with a delicious blues jam, “Pinky’s Blues,” the title track, with Sue Foley’s guitar leading the way. That guitar, by the way, is named Pinky; thus, the name of this cool instrumental track. It’s an interesting choice opening with an instrumental, and after a minute or two, this tune has made a home in your head with its classic vibe. The loose feel of the track calls to mind some of the best late 1960s blues rock. This is a really good jam. That’s followed by a cover of Angela Strehli’s “Two Bit Texas Town.” I like that it takes a moment to get going, giving it the feeling of being improvised, like the band is tuning up and deciding which direction to take next. And soon they’re into that steady groove. “Back when radio could turn your life around” is a line that totally speaks to me. When you’re in a small town, music certainly provides a door to a larger world. That’s how it was for me. Here she is singing about hearing some of those respected blues greats, such as Muddy Waters and Lightnin’ Hopkins. This song was originally included on Angela Strehli’s 1993 album Blonde & Blue.

Then “Dallas Man” comes ripping toward you, a great boogie, the prominent groove moving your body before you even realize it. This is an original composition by Sue Foley. “What’s all the trouble?/Who’s making all that noise?” This song is sort of a salute to all the fantastic blues players and music from the Dallas area. That’s followed by “Southern Men.” Is there sort of a theme happening here? This cool tune was written by Leonard Allen. I mentioned it already, but this album really has a live vibe. Listening to these tracks makes me want to go out to a bar and see Sue Foley perform live. But for now I can open a beer and close my eyes and find myself at a perfect little blues venue. “Tell the whole world I said goodbye.” Then her vocal approach at the beginning of “Say It’s Not So” is undeniably sexy. And being backed by that slow rhythm makes the song even hotter, more seductive. And her guitar playing adds to this track’s appeal. This is a song you want to take into the corner and caress. When it starts to fade, I’m not ready for it to go quite yet, feeling this song has more to give. It is the second Angela Strehli song she covers on this disc, and it comes from that same 1993 album., Blonde & Blue. “Baby, tell me that I’m dreaming/And everything will be all right.”

“Hurricane Girl” is a fun one to get you out of your seat and onto the dance floor. “I’m a force of nature/I’m a hurricane girl,” Sue Foley sings in this original number. Ah yes, you get the feeling that’s no false claim, not even bragging, but just stating a fact. And her guitar seems to back up that claim. This is the track that features Jimmie Vaughan on rhythm guitar, and it is followed by a cover of “Stop These Teardrops,” another fun tune. That guitar part is catchy, but it is her vocal performance that makes this track special. The fun continues with another boogie number, “Boogie Real Low,” written by Frankie Lee Sims. The band is loose and the music is flowing, just exactly the sort of thing I’m guessing many folks are looking for these days.

But perhaps the best track on the album is her rendition of “Think It Over.” Her voice has a sweetness to it, a delightful youthfulness. The track also includes one of my favorite guitar parts of the album, and contains some excellent work by Mike Flannigan on organ. It is a wonderful slow dance. Then Sue Foley will have you on your feet again with “Okie Dokie Stomp,” an instrumental that pops and swings. You can bet it features some great stuff on guitar, but the whole band is cooking and having a good time. That’s followed by “Someday,” a song written by Robert Lee McCollum, better known by his stage name, Robert Nighthawk. And, you guessed it, this track contains some good work on guitar. The album then concludes with a cover of Willie Dixon’s “When The Cat’s Gone The Mice Play,” leaving us in a good place. This album proves the blues’ ability to make people feel good.

CD Track List

1. Pinky’s Blues
2. Two Bit Texas Town
3. Dallas Man
4. Southern Men
5. Say It’s Not So
6. Hurricane Girl
7. Stop These Teardrops
8. Boogie Real Low
9. Think It Over
10. Okie Dokie Stomp
11. Someday
12. When The Cat’s Gone The Mice Pllay

Pinky’s Blues was released on October 22, 2021 on Stony Plain Records.