James Armstrong is a seasoned blues man, and it shows on Blues At The Border
The CD starts out with "Everything Good to Ya (Ain't Always Good For Ya)," which establishes Armstrong's smooth, strong vocal style. The vibe continues with "Somebody Got to Pay," a cautionary message about love and responsibility. The lyrics for this song and the next, "Baby Can You Hear Me," were written by Bob Trenchard, who also plays bass on the CD. The songs have more of a soul sound than traditional blues, and "Baby Can You Hear Me" is especially enhanced by Armstrong's guitar and George Papageorge's organ.
The title song of the CD, "Blues on the Border," is a funky, topical blues about being a musician on the road since 9/11, which reflects Armstrong's interest in using blues to comment on today's world.
"Devil's Candy" has some tasty bass and slide guitar, and is the necessary cautionary tale about what happens when a man goes after an evil woman.
"Nothing Left to Say" is about an ex-lover who can't let go of a relationship that is over: "Why do you keep talking/when there's nothing left to say?" It's about the need to let go and move on.
"High Maintenance Woman," my favorite song on the CD, lets the fun take over, with a funky little ditty about his demanding woman, greatly enhanced by the spoken interplay between Armstrong and his real-life girlfriend, Madonna Hamel, in the role of the high maintenance woman.
"Good Man, Bad Thing" is another song about accepting that you've done wrong and moving on, the recurring theme of much of this CD.
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