Dansk version

Even internationally really excellent blues albums are few and far between.

And take an introspective look at Denmark and those excellent blues albums are rarer than truthful testimony at a mafia trial.

Having said that; Danish singer and guitarist Thorbjørn Risager has made one of those rare commodities – an excellent Danish blues record – with his and his brilliant backingband The Black Tornado’s new album “Too Many Roads".

But not only that. This is a blues, boogie and roots rock’n’roll album dripping with authenticity and intuitive understanding for every facet of “the blues". To an extent that it actually sends lot of their American colleagues to the back of the bus.

As the restless soul of this record stylistically with equal confidence walks the neon lit rain soaked streets of Chicago, strut among the temptations of New Orleans’ French Quarter in the witching hour or wander the dusty road on it’s way to Clarksdale – birthplace of the blues.

And this from a humble guy from the Danish countryside? Yeah, really!

Roadhouse roll
Well, what have we got then?

Quite a lot actually.

Think old school Buddy Guy joining John Hiatt at the imaginary roadhuse when Risager and cohorts take off with the offbeat rumbling “If You Wanna Leave" and “Too Many Roads".

Think Dr. John and early Tom Waits in voodoo land when Risager present you with “Drowning" blessed with a brass arrangement straight out of a New Orleans street parade.

"Backseat Driver" presents – sorry – drive, swing and a midnight moodiness that’ll have old swamp master Tony Joe White nodding with appreciation. While his boot heel and the ice cubes in his bourbon support the rhythm section.

And knock me sideways if not the one and only Keith Richards would smile if he ever heard "High Rolling". There’s got to be a pun intended with the second word of that title, ‘cause this rock’n’roller could make it’s way into The Rolling Stones’ setlist without Mick and Keith ever finding out that it aint’ one of their own.

After that the band closes this masterclass with the playful, loosely funky and catchy "Red Hot And Blue" and the vivacious “Play On" – a bouncy boogie that’s equal parts honky tonk piano and 50’s rock and roll attitude.

Mandatory
And I could go on but I’ll spare you. Thorbjørn Risager delivers with stunning vocals here as his heartfelt, gravelly voice breathes soul, intimacy and necessity into these thirteen songs.
"Too Many Roads" quite obviously is mandatory for fans of the blues. But it’s more than that –it’s quite simply an album for each and every one who love real, authentic music rooted in all the right places.