Dana Fuchs: Songs From The Road

Songs From The Road

Dana Fuchs

The Songs From the Road series - one of the brightest jewels in the crown of Ruf Records - returns with an impressive double set from Dana Fuchs.

The format is the same as for the previous releases in the same series: a live CD and a live DVD - of the same show, with the occasional minor difference in terms of tracks.

The songs are drawn from Dana's three studio albums, with 2013's Bliss Avenue represented particularly well. Indeed, Bliss Avenue - once described by Dana as the album that ''really purged my soul in a starker, more naked way, both lyrically and musically'' is a powerful album, deserving of its plaudits. The songs I picked as stand out tracks when reviewing the album - namely, Bliss Avenue, So Hard To Move, Rodents in the Attic, and Vagabond Wind - are all present and correct here.

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Prime cuts from Lonely For A Lifetime (2003) and Love to Beg (2011) are not afraid to show their teeth either, as the track list shows.

Track list

CD

Bliss Avenue
Handful Too Many
Livin' On Sunday
How Did Things Get This Way
So Hard To Move
Summersong
Set It On Fire
Sad Salvation
Tell Me I'm Not Drinking
Rodents In The Attic
Nothin' On My Mind
Vagabond Wind
Long Long Game
Keep On Walkin'
I've Been Loving You Too Long
Don't Let Me Down

DVD

Bliss Avenue
Handful Too Many
Livin' On Sunday
How Did Things Get This Way
So Hard To Move
Summersong
Set It On Fire
Tell Me I'm Not Drinking

Sad Salvation

Love To Beg

Rodents In The Attic
Nothin' On My Mind
Vagabond Wind
Long Long Game
Keep On Walkin'
I've Been Loving You Too Long
Don't Let Me Down

Dana's music comes wrapped in a big, rock/blues sound. The band is on great form (they need to be, to match the high standard set by Dana).

Personnel

Jon Diamond - guitar and backing vocals
Matt Beck - guitars
Jack Daley - bass
Pete Levin - keyboard
Joe Daley - drums

Backing vocals are supplied by the Screaming Sirens - Elaine Caswell, Nicki Richards and Bette Sussman.

Dana dominates the stage with her considerable presence and energetic performance, whether she's belting out the songs - with evident feeling - dancing alongside the guitar solos, bashing the tambourine or hunkering down with the Screaming Sirens.

The DVD is very nicely shot, with lots of close ups offering great immediacy to the non-stop action. Dana knows how to find the camera and in return the camera just can't keep away. The CD offers a different perspective. Shorn of the visuals, the point of focus is definitely Dana's rocking voice.

There's no doubt about it; this volume in the successful Songs From the Road sets a very high standard for those to follow.

Follow the Dana Fuchs news over at her official website.