Billy Truitt: “Abstract Truth” (2022) CD Review

Billy Truitt is a member of the Vegas Strip Kings, a band based, as you might guess, in Las Vegas, Nevada, playing a fun type of blues, with some zydeco and rockabilly flavors and influences. His fellow band mates join him on Abstract Truth, an album of mostly original material, keeping in line with that delicious style of blues. Billy Truitt plays piano, organ, accordion, acoustic guitar, and electric guitar on these tracks. Al Ek is on acoustic guitar, electric guitar, lap steel and harmonica; Justin Truitt is on drums and percussion; Jimmy Carpenter plays tenor saxophone and baritone saxophone; and Rob Edwards joins him on bass for one track. Also playing on these tracks are Chris Tofield on electric guitar and Mike Seifrit on bass, with Steve Eaton singing on one tune.

This disc gets off to a fun start with “Who’s Been Trying,” which has a delicious Louisiana vibe, with plenty of great stuff on accordion. Here he begins by asking, “Who’s been lying/Who’s been crying/Who’s been trying/To throw our love away?” He then immediately answers those questions: “You’ve been lying/I’ve been crying/We’ve been trying/To make it through the day.” He then urges, “No more lying/No more crying.” And indeed the song has a wonderfully cheerful sound, featuring some nice work by Jimmy Carpenter on saxophone. Plus, I love that work on keys. This is a great way to open the album. That’s followed by “No Light Blues,” which begins by establishing a good rhythm. There is certainly a New Orleans flavor to that beat. And then the guitar is all blues. Those seemingly contrasting sounds work really well together. “Yeah, I’m lost in the darkness, and I don’t want to see the light.” There is a nice little jam to conclude the track.

Truth is a theme running through the early tracks of this album. In “Truth Come Home,” Billy Truitt sings, “We’ve been waiting so long for truth to come home.” I decided last week to take a break from the news, for my own health and sanity, and I think it’s helping. But I am aware that the lies from the previous administration are continuing, and now of course there is that little wormy shit from New York who couldn’t tell the truth to save his life. And dishonesty is big business these days. I imagine a lot of us are waiting for truth to return. Anyway, this track features some really good work on electric guitar and saxophone. And I like that work on organ as the track begins to fade out. That’s followed by “Waymore’s Blues” (here listed as “Waymore Blues”), one of only two covers on this album. You know it’s a blues song because it opens with the line “Well now, I woke up this morning.” I love lists, and someday I aim to create a list of blues numbers that open with some variation of “I woke up this morning.” Anyway, this track features some wonderful stuff on keys, plus some great moments on saxophone. This is also the track to feature Rob Edwards on dog house bass. “Waymore’s Blues” was written by Waylon Jennings. Billy Truitt then delivers the album’s other cover, a seriously good rendition of James Booker’s “True,” a slower gem, continuing that truth theme and featuring more great stuff on keys.

We then return to the original material with “Salvation Or Hell And Famous Potatoes,” which certainly has the most intriguing song title of the album. There is some good work on harmonica right at the start, and there is a bit of reggae in the song’s rhythm. Billy Truitt is originally from Idaho, and mentions that state in this song’s lyrics: “Telling me the blues must go/Yeah, but you’re back in Idaho.” There is more great stuff on harmonica in the middle of the track, and then a good lead on organ. That’s followed by “Life Like Art.” The rhythm and the accordion certainly work to raise my spirits, though this one has a more easygoing feel to it. “You talk about those times/When loving me was a crime/How you rescued me/And it didn’t cost a dime/Ooh, pain in my heart.” Steve Eaton joins Billy Truitt on vocals for this one. “Life is just like art/I can’t tell them apart.”

“Hobo Flatts” was written by Billy Triutt and fellow Vegas Strip Kings member Al Ek. This one has a country blues flavor, and features some nice work on lap steel. It’s a fun number. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “Hey, old devil, why don’t you set my spirit free/I’m on the road to hell and back/You know I love those southbound tracks/Come on, take me on back, back to Hobo Flatts/I’ll pass the bottle freely, talk of times gone past/Said she moved away, never ever looked back/I got an old harp, ain’t got one good reed/I get to drinking, that’s all I need.” I love that work on keys in the middle. That’s followed by another fun number, “Preacher Stole My Angel,” more in the country realm, with gospel elements, moving at a good clip. He revisits an idea expressed in the previous song, here singing “Now the preacher stole my angel, and the devil set me free.” There is some humor, as in the line “Praise the lord, pass that cell phone, please.” This is a lively, rousing track, featuring some delicious work on both guitar and piano. It seems like it would be a great one to see him perform in concert. The album concludes with “Ragtime Eastern Cowboy ‘22’,” its only instrumental track. Some wonderful work on harmonica helps set the tone at the beginning, and then we are treated to some excellent work on keys. This is an enjoyable jam with a pleasant groove. There is even a bass lead in the second half, followed by a good drum solo.

CD Track List

1. Who’s Been Trying
2. No Light Blues
3. Truth Come Home
4. Waymore Blues
5. True
6. Salvation Or Hell And Famous Potatoes
7. Life Like Art
8. Hobo Flatts
9. Preacher Stole My Angel
10. Ragtime Eastern Cowboy “22”

Abstract Truth was released on October 7, 2022.