BLODWYN PIG REVIEW

Blodwyn Pig Pigthology Review by G. W. Hill This compilation album from Blodwyn Pig is interesting. I know they are considered a blues band, and some of this is purely blues, but overall, I think they fit under prog. In part because some of the music fits that category, but also because of the Jethro Tull connection. Mick Abrahams was the original guitarist in Tull.  The disc is quite good, but there is a problem with the label. There are twelve songs listed, but only eleven here. It seems that “Hound Dog” is missing.

Track by Track Review

See My Way It’s not hard to imagine the Jethro Tull connection here. This feels a lot like early Tull, but without Ian Anderson. It’s jazzy and rocks pretty well. The vocals are a little hard to take, and the cut feels a bit under-developed, but it’s good. We’re taken out into a killer progressive rock jam later that really works well. It has some violin work that brings some world music to the table, too.

Baby Girl This energized tune is great. It’s got an older blues rock meets jazz sound to it. I love the saxophone solo and it’s just an awesome piece of music. This is fun. It does get turned more proggy at times, feeling perhaps just a bit like King Crimson in those instances.

Dear Jill Now, this is weird. It seems like a slow Willie Nelson ballad. The instrumental sections later in the piece do have some psychedelia and prog in them, though. And, in some ways this has some things that feel a bit like early Pink Floyd.

Monkinit This is awesome. Jazz, blues and more are combined into a killer psychedelic progressive rock jam. I love this. It’s an instrumental and arguably the strongest thing here.

Drive Me More of a blues driven tune, this rocker has a definite 1970s vibe to it. It’s got some great guitar soloing. It’s a short number.

The Change Song Now, this one is pretty much a pure blues cut. It’s an acoustic number and has some string accompaniment. That said, comparisons to some early Hawkwind wouldn’t be out of the question on this live number.

Cosmogification Smoking hot jazz rock is heard on this. It’s got a great groove. We’re taken out into a jam with scat singing matched to guitar soloing. This is purely on fire and another highlight of the set.

Same Old Story I can hear comparisons to Hawkwind a little on this. That said, this is like a jazzy psychedelic rocker that works really well.

Sly Bones This short instrumental is more pure blues.

It's Only Love With lots of jazz and lots energy, this short rocker is fun.

Stormy Monday This is an old jazz standard and it’s delivered as a great blues jam here. It’s a good tune, but it goes on a bit long for as little change as there is here. CURRENTLY AVAILABLE FROM GONZO Lies CD - £9.99 Pigthology CD - £9.99