–Blues Revue
Release Date: 21 July 2009
Genre: Blues/Rock/Classic Rock
Publisher: (C) 2009 Eclecto Groove Records, Inc.
Label: Eclecto Groove Records
Time: 44m 54s
Review Date:30-August-2009
Format: CD
JivePK™: http://jivepk.jivewired.com/anapopovic
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Track Listing:
01. Nothing Personal 3:36
02. Wrong Woman 3:44
03. Steal Me Away 3:31
04. Blind For Love 3:14
05. More real 3:38
06. Putting Out The APB 3:48
07. Get Back Home To You 3:34
08. The Only Reason 3:53
09. Part Of Me (Lullaby For Luuk) 3:16
10. Lives That Don't Exist 3:55
11. Need Your Love 3:22
12. Blues For M 5:23
Review:
The world is a better place thanks to the union of Ana Popovic and producer Mark Dearnley (AC/DC, PAUL McCARTNEY, TOM PETTY and many more) on Ana's latest release Blind For Love. Recalling great purveyors of unabashedly blistering female blues rock and soul, such as Susan Tedeschi, Bonnie Raitt and Janis Joplin, Blind For Love is both a sublime and full-bodied release. Popovic is indeed a heavy presence on this effort; she wrote and arranged all of the tracks, and co-produced the CD as well as providing lead guitar and vocals. This is an outstanding and very polished release that is at often times magnificent. The music herein will simply sweep you away.
The energizing Nothing Personal kicks off the disc, a straight-ahead blues and rock number that is the first single release from the CD. Unveiling her backing band, the song features a number of highlights in addition to Popovic's guitar work. The backing vocals are strong and add a gospel-like feel, and the interplay between Ana and keyboardist Mike Finnigan is a strength here. Nothing Personal segues perfectly into the second track, Wrong Woman.
Have you ever heard a song with a defining moment that was so good upon first listen that you have actually muttered "Are you kidding me....." to yourself (in, of course, the most complimentary and reverent sense of the phrase)? Some examples include the church organ on the Beatles "Let It Be", the opening riff of Stevie Ray Vaughan's "Pride and Joy" and Keith Richards' feedback on "Gimme Shelter". Add Ana's guitar solo at the end of Wrong Woman to the list. At precisely 2:46 into the song Popovic takes an anthemic and very good, yet formulaic rock number and launches it into stratospheric territory with a fervently passionate guitar solo that will literally melt your speakers.
By not leaning completely on the tried and true, sometimes too-precious roots of blues music, Popovic adds elements of funk and rhythm for a strikingly new authenticity and the result is a pleasing and crafty vignette. With a blistering arrangement reminiscent of Prince (yes, Prince) and James Brown, Lives That Don't Exist is an incredibly funky example, an eclectic traverse of blues, rock and funk that melds perfectly. Popovic provides a white-hot guitar solo to the stellar work of bassist Ronald Jonker to create an infectious groove replete with drop-dead trumpet and sax accompaniment from Darrel Leonard and Joe Sublett that is a full-tilt boogie.
Popovic demonstrates a more soulful and jazzy side as well as her range and musical diversity on the title song Blind For Love. Vocally, Ana is strong here, reaching the upper level of her range smoothly and with little effort. She also accentuates great jazz guitar with the use of a slide, and the song is a welcome break in the flow of the disc. Popovic is equally strong on More Real which is again a downtempo, jazzy number, but with a more classic feel to her guitar work in the mold of Mark Knopfler. More Real and The Only Reason are the best of the downtempo numbers on the disc.
As far as flat out blues numbers, on Blues For M Popovic goes all out here and succeeds, and likely draws comparisons to Janis Joplin. This is classic blues, down and dirty, vocally aching and accentuated by her tremendous guitar solo. The fretwork is astounding, picking up the pace when necessary to evoke Popovic's true feelings here. If one were to make the comparison to Joplin, then make no mistake, vocally her range far exceeds Ms. Joplin and the passion is right on par, so there is that validity.
Other highlights include Putting Out The APB and Get Back Home To You.
Some of the previous reviews for this CD have labeled Blind For Love as a blues CD, but that is too limiting and somewhat incorrect. This is a genuine blues, rock, funk and soul hybrid that showcases Ana Popovic's stunning guitar work as well as her vocal abilities and musical diversity in a number of genre-bending tracks. The arrangements and production are top notch, and Popovic's abilities as a musician and songwriter are unquestionably first-rate. This a CD you will want to add to your collection and keep in heavy rotation on your personal playlist.
-- Michael Canter Jivewired.com
About Ana Popovic:
May 13th 1976, Ana Popovic was born in the war torn town of Belgrade, formerly Yugoslavia, the first daughter of Milutin and Vesna Popovic. Ana grew up in a warm and loving family where music was very important. Her father Milutin is a highly recognized guitar / bass player, who throughout her youth, always invited friends over for nightly jam sessions where Ana listened and analyzed the deep artistic roots of her music. In this atmosphere, she quickly picked up her father’s impressive blues and soul record collection, grabbed his guitar and went to work at a young age of 15. Since then, Ana Popovic has developed into an incredible guitarist/vocalist who now currently resides in The Netherlands. The most impressive aspect of Ana's music is her diversity of techniques and styles. Her blend of smoking electric funk slide guitar, jazzy instrumentals, tight blues groove, soulful feminine vocals and Ana’s incredible stage presence makes her an irresistible force in the music world.
Ana Popovic’s first CD, titled 'HUSH' was released in 2000. In February 2003, she released her second album 'Comfort To The Soul', followed by the live CD/DVD titled 'ANA! Live in Amsterdam'.
In her brief career, she’s already enjoyed a number major honors. Among the highlights:
She and her band won the prestigious jazz award ‘Jazz a Juan-Revelation 2004’ in Juan Le Pins, France. The award shows recognition of Ana’s abilities in the jazz genre - a strong influence on her music.
During the ‘Rhythm & Blues Fest’ in Peer, Belgium, Ana is invited on stage by ‘The King of Soul’, Solomon Burke, who immediately invites her to join him as a special guest for the rest of his tour.
Ana was chosen to be part of the European ‘Jimi Hendrix Tribute tour’ in 2002. Ana also joins various artists Eric Burdon, Taj Mahal and Buddy Miles on a Jimi Hendrix tribute CD: ‘Blue Haze’.
Upon forming her first band, Hush, she immediately began making waves in her home country, and was performing a hundred shows annually and making regular appearances on Yugoslavian television.
Initially embraced by the blues music community, Ana is the first European ever nominated for ‘Best New Blues Artist’ at the W.C. Handy Award Show in Memphis, Tennessee (2003). She was also nominated for 'Best Blues Album' at the Jammie Awards in New York City, a three way nominee for 'Best Vocalist', 'Best Guitarist' and 'Best Album' at the French Blues Awards (2002).
In 2007, Ana Popovic set her sights on the U.S. and signed her first American record deal with the Los Angeles based Delta Groove Music. The subsidiary label Eclecto Groove Records was then formed and created to support Ana’s diverse and eclectic approach to music. Produced by Grammy Award winning producer John Porter and David Z., “Still Making History" signified Ana’s first official entry into the U.S. market and it was a smashing success. The album spent a total of 19 weeks on the Billboard blues chart and hit its peak position at #3!
Now after tirelessly touring the U.S. and Europe for the past two years Ana returns with her follow up effort "Blind For Love," produced by Mark Dearnley (AC/DC, Tom Petty, Paul McCartney). Joined by members of her regular touring band - Ronald Jonker (bass) and Andrew "Blaze" Thomas (drums), plus special guests Tony Braunagel (drums) and Mike Finnigan (Hammond B-3) from the Phantom Blues Band, Ana offers up a little something here for everyone including blues, rock, jazz, funk and gospel.
Ana demonstrates once again that she possesses the vision to forge ahead with her own uniquely distinctive style and continues to evolve as a deeply personal and gifted songwriter, carrying on the tradition of her father, her roots, and her true love of the music she was destined to play.
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