Review: ‘One Woman Band’ Ghalia Volt

Ghalia Volt

By Mike O’Cull

Belgian blues phenom Ghalia Volt takes listeners back to the future in a big way on her new record One Woman Band, set to drop January 29th, 2021 on Ruf Records. The album is a one-woman show in which Volt sings, rips on slide guitar, and plays kick and snare drums with her feet, creating a gritty, glorious sound that was recorded live as it went down. She made the record like this as a response to the COVID pandemic and the musical isolation it has inflicted upon the world. Her solo ways also harken back to the blues’ raw early days and the distorted magic of old school garage rock.

Volt tracked the record in November at Memphis’ legendary Royal Sound Studios and co-produced the album with Boo Mitchell (Al Green, Buddy Guy) after spending a month writing songs on a train and successfully testing her solo performance skills on audiences in Mississippi. All of this led to 11 songs full of enough soul and vibe to keep you happy for the rest of the year. ‘Monster’ Mike Welch guests on the album as does Dean Zucchero on bass.

Previously, Ghalia had made her mark on the roots music scene with a pair of full-band albums, 2017’s Let The Demons Out and 2019’s critically acclaimed Mississippi Blend. Both are excellent efforts and earned Volt much well-deserved attention. After an apprenticeship spent busking on the streets of her native city of Brussels, however, she knew that everything she needed to succeed was already within her. “In March, I started playing on a real drum set,” she recalls, “Playing a kick, snare, and hi-hat plus a tambourine with my two feet, while playing slide/guitar and singing at the same time.” She quickly found her groove and knew this approach was her proper way forward in her present situation.

Volt unleashes her bare-bones boogie from the jump with her opening song “Last Minute Pack.” Her guitar work cuts simple and deep while she rocks the drums with her feet and sings overtop of it all. As this is all done live, it conveys a wonderful human energy and pays no mind to any ragged edges that might be found. This under-produced sound is incredibly fresh and inspiring in the face of slick, modern music and will grab you by the t-shirt the moment you press “play.” Volt has a Hound Dog Taylor-ish playing-on-the-floor-for-the-door street blues quality that’s immediately enthralling and is certain to get your party bouncing.

“Espiritu Papago” is a haunting and hypnotic cut that takes Volt into a sunbaked psychedelic headspace. Imagine John Lee Hooker and The Doors hanging out in the desert in the summertime tripping on mushrooms and sweating out their blues and you’ll start to feel it. Volt keeps you transfixed on each note as they pass by, leading you ever farther into her world as she goes along, and the effect is spellbinding. “Evil Thoughts” is a surprisingly gentle shuffle that’s still a dancefloor bone-shaker and clearly transmits the fun of road-housing on a Saturday night. Volt’s groove and guitar are right on target here and she’s clearly reveling in the moment.

“Loving Me Is A Full Time Job” starts off lowdown and simmering but accelerates rapidly into a stomping jam with a big beat and a fun, melodic vocal line. Ghalia Volt throws her entire being into everything she’s doing and makes it all come together brilliantly. This is real human entertainment in the purest sense and takes us back to days when all that mattered was a cold drink and something to dance to. Volt is a modern primitive here to show all us 21st Century types that the old ways still work just fine, thank you very much. Every bit of One Woman Band feels like the best house party ever and getting caught up in Volt’s energy is all too easy. Crank this one up and have a good time.

 
Pre-order link for One Woman Band 

Ghalia Volt Online

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