Review: Gráinne Duffy ‘Dirt Woman Blues’
By Mike O’Cull
Irish roots music singer, songwriter, and guitarist Gráinne Duffy uses her fifth solo album Dirt Woman Blues to take listeners on an ever-expanding journey that expertly uses elements of Celtic storytelling, Delta Blues, and 70’s California Rock to create a highly-listenable hybrid style.
The record comes out May 19th, 2023 on Blue Heart Records and finds Duffy teaming up with guitarist Marc Ford (Black Crowes) and Gary Clark Jr.’s Austin rhythm section of drummer/percussionist JJ Johnson and bass/keyboard player Elijah Ford (Marc’s son). Grammy-winning producer Chris Goldsmith and Marc Ford guided Duffy’s sessions, and heavy hitters Jimmy Hoyson, Sam Goldsmith, John Ginty, and Peter Levin also stepped up and joined in.
Dirt Woman Blues contains nine fresh original songs co-written by Duffy and her husband/guitarist/ band mate Paul Sherry. The tunes twist, turn, thrive, and evolve in the directions they need to for maximum impact and expression. What results is a non-derivative set of new songs that will grab you by the headphones and refuse to let go.
Gráinne Duffy is a roots music iconoclast with prodigious skills in the guitar, vocal, and songwriting departments. She hails from Monaghan, Ireland and plays a unique style that combines roots, soul, blues, and rock ideas with intricate Celtic elements. She’s a three-time Blues Matters Magazine Writers’ Poll winner (Best Female Vocalist, 2014, 2015, Best Solo Artist, 2015) and was also won Best Modern Roots Artist in the 2021 Independent Blues Awards. Her festival history includes Glastonbury, Tremblant International, Mahindra Blues, Notodden Blues Festival, and more. She has also performed on live BBC sessions and TV performances. Duffy’s debut effort Out Of The Dark was released in 2007 and she’s been making waves ever since.
Duffy kicks the album off with the rocking empowerment anthem “Well Well Well.” It’s an upbeat cut that features some hot slide guitar, Duffy’s mighty alto vocals, and a joyful vibration that’s sure to set your bones to shaking. It’s the kind of tune that gets big crowds up and moving with a positive energy that’s infectious and true.
The title track “Dirt Woman Blues” follows and turns the sound of heavy, old-school blues into something new and intensely personal, as visionaries have always done. Mournful and melancholy, “Dirt Woman Blues” demonstrates how much electrified art can still be made from traditional inspiration and how well it can speak to modern fans. Duffy exudes the core spirit of the blues but clearly isn’t here to teach history lessons.
Watch “Dirt Woman Blues”
“Running Back To You” is a romantic vintage R&B-flavored track that hits like a lightning bolt full of soul. It’s a dynamic ballad that lets Duffy use her whole vocal range and emotional palette to tell her story. She goes from a confessional whisper to a big-league belt that will go right through you. There’s a load of sweet guitar work here, too, and the rhythm and lead parts do exactly what they need to do.
Gráinne absolutely shines on the Celtic tone poem “Rise Above.” It’s a complete shift in tone and voice from her other songs and functions beautifully among them. It’s not what most people would expect from a blues/roots artist but, as these are her roots, it makes perfect sense in the context of the album. Duffy handles the cultural interchange like a boss and gives us a sound we haven’t heard before.
Every moment of Dirt Woman Blues will resonate with you in one way or another. Gráinne Duffy is an artist of no small importance who is moving roots music forward simply by being herself. Even deep cuts like “Hold On To You” and the closer “Killycrum” entice and delight. Listen to these tracks right now and make your day a better place to be.
Gráinne Duffy website
Just on this first listen miss Duffy is smoking , beautiful voice that has an ability to communicate drama and feel , the band could undo your buttons from 30 feet . I’ll have to give this another good , uninterrupted listen but I’m buzzing with it .