Review: Shemekia Copeland ‘Blame It On Eve’
By Hal Horowitz
Those who have followed the extensive career trajectory of singer Shemekia Copeland know that she started her professional life young (recording her first collection at 18), as a Koko Taylor-styled blues belter singing mostly about relationship issues.
Although the music was diverse, and those early albums were essential to getting her noticed as a rising star, Copeland gradually expanded from that somewhat limiting persona. She shifted to more lyrically edgy, socio-political themed roots rock with blues and country influences, incorporating soul, funk, and strong gospel strains while refining her powerful and distinctive vocals.
While she has written some original material, the covers she has chosen– ranging from songs by icons like John Fogerty, Lucinda Williams, Jesse Winchester, John Prine, Oliver Wood and even Ray Davies, to blues legends Albert King and her father Johnny Copland—display a far more inclusive musical scope than most blues performers encompass.
A trilogy of recent titles America’s Child, Uncivil War and Done Come Too Far plunged her fully into politics, as their titles imply, while maintaining a rootsy musical sensibility that taps into her blues background. There’s also some sly humor in tracks like “Fell in Love With a Honky” (“in a honky-tonk bar” goes the rest of the verse).
And of course there’s that voice; expressive, emotional with sometimes barely restrained power. Even without seeing an album cover, it only takes a few seconds of any tune for it to be obvious who is singing.
Which brings us to Blame It on Eve (out August 30), Copeland’s 11th effort and fourth helmed by guitarist Will Kimbrough who has done terrific work with her since taking over production reigns in 2018. There’s a shift away from the politics of her preceding three discs and towards friskier, less strident songs. “This record is for people like me who want a break from the news” she says in the advance notes.
There’s still an edge as on the opening title track where she infuses swamp jazz (Jim Hoke guests on sax) on a dry humored tune about how women have been accused of problems throughout history (“Since the Garden of Eden they have you believin’/When somethin’ goes wrong/You can blame it on Eve”), sung with a wink and a smile.
She shifts into Mississippi blues with Luther Dickinson handling guitar for “Tough Mother,” telling listeners of a harsh life where she warns us “don’t you mess with me” as Dickinson brings slide nastiness matching Copeland’s angry vocal. Determined and smoking. We head into rugged blues rock for “Is There Anybody Up There?” bringing in Alejandro Escovedo who duets on vocals. It allows Kimbrough room to let loose on guitar as Copeland sings “If they crucified poor Jesus/Think what they’ll do to me.” Lap steel master Jerry Douglas is featured on mid-tempo Southern rocker “Cadillac Blue,” a treatise on how she loves her man’s eye color, implied by the song’s title. It’s propelled by Douglas’ slide lines similar to those of Duane Allman.
The vibe changes radically for “Belle Sorciere,” a lovely, bittersweet, acoustic, folk song sung in French and English by Copeland in conjunction with its co-writer Pascal Danae, featuring sorrowful cello accompaniment. It’s gorgeous, heartbreaking and like little else Copeland has recorded. That’s contrasted by the following jittery, roof raising gospel of “The Devil Can Go to Hell,” accentuated by rousing female backing singers.
Copeland always covers something from her dad’s catalog, and delivers a corker with Johnny’s burning slow blues “Down on Bended Knee.” It’s another showcase for producer Kimbrough to dig into a searing solo that does justice to the elder Copeland’s style and lets Shemekia blow down the walls with a sizzling vocal, extending the word “please” into a stabbing wail.
Closing with another social protest statement in a cover of “Heaven Help Us All,” (made famous, but not written, by Stevie Wonder in 1970), reminds us that Copeland is not leaving this crucial aspect of her talents behind. It’s a somber yet stirring version as she sings “Heaven help the people with their backs against the wall,” closing another classy and inspiring album from one of contemporary blues’ most dependable, talented and inspirational artists.
Pre-order the album here
“Tough Mother”
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