💿 Release: CD Woodbury - World's Gone Crazy

CD WOODBURY - WORLD’S GONE CRAZY
LABEL: SELF
RELEASE DATE: JULY 24, 2020
DISTRIBUTION: CD BABY

In 2014 guitarist CD Woodbury and his band were named “Kings of Beale Street“ at Jerry Lee Lewis’ café
and honky-tonk during the group’s first appearance at the International Blues Challenge (IBC) in
Memphis.

The group has been a finalist in Best Self-Produced CD and twice a semifinalist band, while
representing the South Sound Blues Assoc and the Seattle-based Washington Blues Society. Capitalizing on the momentum from their 2020 IBC appearance and a successful crowdfunding campaign Woodbury brought the band into the vaunted Robert Lang Studios in Seattle to record his sophomore release as a band leader. “World’s Gone Crazy” also marks a personal victory as his career was nearly cut short due to personal health issues and wrist surgery in 2018. The undaunted blues man returns with fire on a 13- track recording that is representative of the bands barnstorming live show.

The first half of World’s Gone Crazy is a set of eight well-crafted original songs followed by artful
arrangements of select cover songs. Woodbury’s skills as a guitarist are not only on display, but also hissardonic wit and evocative storytelling. Each of the bandmembers has a moment to shine throughout thecollection, with the muscular rhythm section of journeyman drummer Don Montana and explosive bassplayer Patrick McDanel laying a firm foundation, while multi-instrumentalist Mike Marinig colors thelandscape on keyboards, saxophone and vocals. The quartet delivers a full dose of high energy blues,rock, and soul.

A striking four-part acapella chorus welcomes us into the opening track, ‘Follow The River Home,’ andflows into a rousing slide guitar fueled hill stomp. The slinky swinger, ‘Walk Around Music,’ has Woodburypontificating on how sweet soul music inspired him to “move his big ol’ body around.” The rocking tango,‘I Didn’t Know,’ finds him lamenting bitter betrayal with sharp saxophone jabs from Marinig emphasizinghis points. The classic twelve bar form is stretched a bit on the sentimental ‘Emerald City Blues,’ whileWoodbury recounts his escapades on Beale Street during ‘Memphis Heat,’ with each member getting a hot little solo over the Soul Stew rhythm. The title track eases in with spooky slide guitar howling beforesettling into a swampy groove and topical reflection on how a working man survives in these troubledtimes. Montana kicks off the rumbling boogie ‘South Of South Hill’ that features a tasty bass solo from McDanel. Woodbury does his best Fats Waller for the colorfully droll narrative on dieting ‘Can’t Eat That
Stuff No More’ while the band plays the blues.

CD Woodbury and his “Kings of Beale Street” make a regal statement with the 2020 release, “World’s Gone Crazy,” delivering a tasty and fun set that takes us from Saturday night to Sunday morning. 

WEBLINKS
OS: www.cdwoodbury.com

Publicist: Betsie Brown, Blind Raccoon, betsie@blindraccoon.com