Joe Bonamassa releases new studio album 'Redemption' on Sep 21
Two-time GRAMMY-nominated blues-rock titan Joe Bonamassa returns with a brand new studio album, ‘Redemption’, which will be released on 21st September 2018 via Provogue/Mascot Label Group in Europe and J&R Adventures in North America.
Redemption,
Bonamassa’s 13th solo studio album and third in a row of all
original material, sees him at his most ambitious and diverse as he continues
to redefine and push the barriers of blues-rock. It features a collection of 12
exhilarating songs that reflect the re-birth that he is currently going
through. “I’m going through some other stuff in my life I didn’t expect to be
going through. It’s a rising, it’s contrition, it’s acceptance, it’s
everything. It’s painful, but knowing that there’s a rising coming,” he
explains.
The album reunites Bonamassa with some of Nashville’s finest music minds
such as Tom Hambridge, James House, Gary Nicholson as well as Richard Page, Dion Dimucci
and continues his long creative relationship with Kevin Shirley. “From a
Producer’s perspective, this is far and away the most challenging and diverse
album that Joe has ever made, “ says Shirley
The
album was recorded at various locations including, Blackbird
Studios, Nashville TN, The Cave Australia, Sydney OZ, Studio At The Palms, Las
Vegas NV, Criteria Hit Factory, Miami FL and Addiction Sound Studios, Nashville
TN. It was once again recorded with a remarkable collection of musicians including;
drummer Anton Fig, bassist Michael
Rhodes, keyboardist Reese Wynans, horn players Lee Thornburg and Paulie Cerra,
harmony vocalist Gary Pinto, background singers Mahalia Barnes, Jade McRae,
Juanita Tippins and Kevin Shirley introduced two extra guitar players, Kenny
Greenberg and Doug Lancio. “It was interesting, because having two extra guitar
players involved, allowed me to play a certain way,” Bonamassa adds.
Photo Credit And Used With Thanks To Rick Gould.
The album opens with a tip of the hat to Led Zeppelin on ‘Evil Mama’ which burrows into a deep groove before ripping into the rockabilly-tinged boogie blues of ‘King Bee Shakedown’ that requires you to get up and dance. Next, Bonamassa dips into his Black Country Communion influence to tell a tragic tale with timeless hard rock riffs for ‘Molly-O’ and then channels Tom Waits on the late night after hours of ‘Pick Up The Pieces’. Joe explains that the track ‘Self-Inflicted Wounds’ is one of the best songs that he has ever written and ‘Deep In The Blues Again’ features a driving rhythm that will make you set your car stereo to repeat.
There
is an overwhelming theme of redemption and salvation but also a sense of
strength and empowerment running through the record. “It’s this yearning to
redeem yourself after just this tremendous loss and this tremendous feeling of
pain,” explains Bonamassa. The sense of vulnerability unfolds in the opening
lines of the title track, ‘She
took the fire as she was leaving, no forgiveness and no confession, now I'm
sifting through the cold grey ashes, looking for peace and my redemption.’
Talking
about the new album Joe elaborates further, “I really feel the new material is
deeper, lyrically and musically! We try to get a little deeper every time we
come out.” Shirley continues, “It is a brand-new look at the Blues, in what is
clearly Joe’s deepest and darkest most personal album yet, which is a
masterpiece of desperation - melodic and cinematic in this presentation.”
‘The
Ghost of Macon Jones’ sees Joe trade vocals with Nashville country singer Jamey
Johnson as they recount a cautionary tale of a rural renegade. ‘Just Cos You Can Don‘t Mean You Should’ channels
Albert King for an upbeat taste of blues-rock euphoria before Bonamassa makes
light of his trials and tribulations on ‘I‘ve Got Some Mind Over What Matters.’
Then we hear Joe strip down to only acoustic guitar
and vocals on the heart-breaking tale of ‘Stronger Now In Broken Places’, which
promises that things will be better over time and features Midnight Oil’s Jim
Moginie providing soundscapes and Kate Stone on the handpan. After this intense
musical journey Joe wraps it all up with a traditional Blues Rock tune with
“Love is A Gamble.”
When listening all the way through Redemption, you see the real shades of
light and dark, for every trip into the tender depths of emotion there are some
glorious hip shaking moments of joy and all the while accompanied by supreme
musicianship and Bonamassa’s masterful and rich guitar playing. “I think
this record could have some of the best writing I’ve ever done along with James
House, he’s a national treasure that guy, Tom Hambridge, the same thing, Gary
Nicholson, Gordon Kennedy and Danny Flowers,” Joe explains. “I’m really excited
for people to hear it and it's not the same thing that I’ve done. Its
different, good different, not just different for the sake of being different.”
Bonamassa is on fire right now ‘Redemption’ sees him at his creative
peak up to this moment and follows on from 2016s outstanding ‘Blues of
Desperation’ which reached #3 in the Official UK Album charts, top 10 across
Europe and #12 in the Billboard Charts. In the two years since his last studio
album he has continued his formidable touring schedule, playing sold out shows
across the globe and also his unfaltering excellence in other projects such as
2017s reformation and new release ‘BCCIV’ from supergroup Black Country
Communion (with Glenn Hughes, Jason Bonham and Derek Sherinian) reaching their
highest UK charting position to date at #7, his collaboration ‘Black Coffee’
with Beth Hart as well as the incredible live Concert DVDs with 2018’s ‘British
Blues Explosion Live.’
1 Evil
Mama
2 King Bee
Shakedown
3 Molly O'
4 Deep In The
Blues Again
5 Self-Inflicted
Wounds
6 Pick Up The
Pieces
7 The Ghost Of
Macon Jones
8 Just 'Cos You
Can Don't Mean You Should
9 Redemption
10 I've Got Some
Mind Over What Matters
11 Stronger Now
In Broken Places
12 Love Is A
Gamble
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Tourdates
22-Sep-18 Helsingin Jäähalli - Helsinki,
Finland
24-Sep-18 Hovet - Stockholm, Sweden
26-Sep-18 Lisebergshallen – Goteborg, Sweden
28-Sep-18 Oslo Spektrum - Oslo,
Norway
29-Sep-18 Operaen – København,
Denmark
01-Oct-18 Stadthalle
Rostock - Rostock, Germany
02-Oct-18 König-Pilsener-Arena
- Oberhausen, Germany
03-Oct-18 SAP Arena - Mannheim,
Germany
05-Oct-18 Esperantohalle –
Fulda, Germany
06-Oct-18 Rittal Arena
Wetzlar - Wetzlar, Germany
08-Oct-18 Ratiopharm
Arena - Neu-Ulm, Germany
11-Oct-18 Plymouth
Pavilions - Plymouth, United Kingdom
12-Oct-18 Motorpoint
Arena – Nottingham, United Kingdom
13-Oct-18 Bournemouth
International Centre - Bournemouth, United Kingdom