By Mike O’Cull
Blues/rock supergroup The Proven Ones goes zero-to-sixty in nothing flat on the band’s sophomore effort You Ain’t Done. The record comes out April 17th on Gulf Coast Records and features the songs and talents of some of the best and most distinguished musicians in the blues community. Comprised of guitarist Kid Ramos, vocalist Brian Templeton, keyboardist Anthony Geraci, bassist Willie J. Campbell, and drummer Jimi Bott, the band has dozens of awards, thousands of gigs, and millions of miles under its collective belt earned with many of the top blues acts in the world, including The Fabulous Thunderbirds, The Radio Kings, The Mannish Boys, and Sugar Ray and the Bluetones. The new record was co-produced by Bott and blues/rock dynamo Mike Zito and contains new original songs from each member of the group.
While this crew can put the blues down like nobody’s business, one of the coolest things about You Ain’t Done by The Proven Ones is the band’s willingness to expand the genre’s form. “We wanted to stretch the boundaries for this record,” vocalist Templeton explains. “For the most part, we are all known as blues musicians and rightly so, but we love many styles and naturally want to indulge in them as well. I think we’ve accomplished that with this record. There’s rock, soul, country, some Latin influence, a bit of pop, and, dare I say, a punk vibe in parts as well. I believe it’s going to break down a few walls.” This sort of forward-thinking and creatively fearless approach keeps roots-based music relevant and alive and should be applauded whenever it’s encountered.
You Ain’t Done opens with “Get Love,” a blues/rock burner that features a minute-long psychedelic intro complete with sitar licks that lets you know right away that this isn’t your daddy’s kind of blues album. It has a tough groove and a hippie soul all at once and sets an upbeat mood for the record that’s warm and inviting. Templeton’s voice is big, bold, and inspiring as he delivers lyrics that exhort listeners to use strength and love to survive these challenging times. Kid Ramos is equally impressive, dealing out audacious Albert King-style lines with authority.
The title track “You Ain’t Done” is a rocking Rolling Stones-ish blaster with a life lesson/morality tale to tell about greed, human nature, and the hereafter. It’s an absolutely kicking horn-reinforced jam that will, indeed, make a grown man cry. The rhythm section of Campbell and Bott launches the song into the sky while also keeping it locked down right where your backside wants it to be. It’s a glorious moment of pure rock and roll that’s not to be missed.
The mellow “Whom My Soul Loves” is a tender ballad that’s graced by the presence of the always-stellar Ruthie Foster. She and Templeton duet on it and their two voices and styles are an undeniably divine match. The whole band gets behind the two singers like the pros they are and the combined effect is nothing short of stunning. Foster is a prodigious talent and fits right in with these exceptionally accomplished players.
“Nothing Left To Give” gets into a sultry Latin rock sound that’s physical and intoxicating. The beat swings and sways while Kid Ramos stretches his chops with a beautiful, melodic guitar solo. Templeton’s vocals are impassioned and powerful, as well. “Favorite Dress” concludes You Ain’t Done with more of the guitar, piano, and horn rock and roll sound the band does so well. The vibe is life-affirming and vital, as important to the record’s success as any song that appears earlier in the album’s sequence.
The Proven Ones show themselves to be exactly that from one end of this party to the other and push their boundaries on every song. Fans of grit, grooves, and guitars will become quickly captivated by this anything-but-typical take on blues-influenced music. Spin it and feel the love for yourself.
The Proven Ones Online
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