Search - Geoff Achison :: Gettin' Evil

Original blues from down under

P. I. Papageorgiou | Corfu, Corfu Greece | 04/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I got this last year after having heard him play acoustic on another Cd which sadly I cannot find on the net. it belonged to a friend... This guy is excellent!!! As a part time blues musician I was particularly impressed by how original his riffs and music are at least to me and the lyrics are good too. I have seen some blues musicials live in Greece where i live who maybe thought they could pull our leg with silly lyrics they think we don't understand. This is nothing like Listen to the cd a few times and it will really grow on you. Definitely one of the best in 2001."

Aussie blues maestro on the global road

Darby Higgs | Melbourne, Vic Australia | 12/26/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For the uninitiated Geoff Achhison is a singer songwriter and above all a guitarist extrordinaire from Melbourne, Australia. Over the past decade Geoff has built up a cult following among blues fans and lovers of fine guitar playing as he has explored the roots of the genre and moved on to use the lexicon to explore more contemporary themes.Gettin' evil is the product of Achison's Portland based Souldiggers Band. He has several other Souldigger bands in - Melbourne, in England and more lately touring with Hot Tuna. It's theme seems to be the frustrations of the troubadour in the global age. The opening track "Coming to getcha" addressed to the woman at home lays it all out out in characteristic style: candid lyrics, strong delivery and urgent guitar, leave us in no doubt what is on the the man's mind. Track 8 "Hotel room" will help those a bit slow on the uptake get the picture. Other tracks address the experience of dealing with deadheads and rip off artists on the road.The tracks roll on revealing a mastery of the electric guitar in tight arrangements and with ever increasing evidence for those who claim Geoff is at the top of the pile of contemporary blues artists. The CD also has a rendition of Geoff's acoustic blues hit "Don't Play Guitar Boy" the track that won an award in Memphis in 1995. We are all glad he didn't take this bit of advice.Twelve of the thirteen songs were written by Geoff, reflecting his belief that the blues genre can express contemporary themes. He does pay appropriate homage to tradition, claiming in the liner notes that he uses a seven hundred year old electric guitar.There is enough variety here to get a taste of Geoff's skills, but look out for his other recordings, with other bands as well as unaccompanied and acoustic."