Heads I Win Tails You Lose [CD]

I have to declare that whilst I enjoyed Oli Brown's first album I was not as blown away with it as some reviewers. However having seen him and his band live I gave that album some repeated listens and it grew on me. I still thought it a bit bland and safe though but hugely impressive for one so young. Now comes that "difficult" second album and quite frankly it blows me away. 5 stars quite frankly aren't enough! Oli's voice is more assured, dare I say mature, and his guitar playing is superb. The band are spot on and provide excellent support so shouldn't be ignored. The songs are all well within genre if you get my drift, edging towards the rockier end of the blues spectrum but there is enough variety to dispel any notions of ennuie setting in. He even manages to find a new twist on that old warhorse "fever"

There appears to be a resurgence of new British blues stars and Oli is right up there with the best. They are on tour again in the UK with the excellent Joanne Shaw Taylor and the very well regarded and extremely young and talented Virgil and the Accelerators. If you like the blues this is a tour that should not be missed.

What can I say?.... I'm totally speechless

Oli Brown had a pretty tough job releasing a second album after how well received the first was. A fine example of his talent, "Open Road" was widely seen as an excellent debut. Regardless of how brilliant it was however, most who have seen Oli Brown perform live will attest to the fact that seeing this young man on stage is an experience far greater than any recording can capture. Oli is one of the most technically proficient, energetic and confident guitar players I have ever had the fortune to see (and I recommend if you haven't already to get to a gig!) but how does this translate to 'Heads I Win, Tails You Lose'?

Being on the open road for as long as they were, the new album sounds much more confident than the previous one. Oli's playing and singing has matured and he has undoubtedly carved out his own style and signature sound. The inclusion of the hip hop classic 'No Diggity', a popular song in the live shows, shows that Oli is not afraid to think outside of the blues box. Many songs on the album are upbeat and have a distinct groove - 'On Top Of The World' and 'Real Good Time' will have you tapping your feet and 'I Can Make Your Day' does just that. Having said that however, Oli is also not shy to putting the blues into... well... the blues. 'Love's Gone Cold', 'Not A Word I Say' and 'Speechless' are among the strongest tracks on the album and really showcase Oli's songwriting, singing and guitar playing talent!

During the tours in 2009, Oli Brown showcased many tracks he intended to use on the new album. I was fortunate enough to see the band a few times that year so I had a few of the tracks cemented in my head. This however led me to be apprehensive upon receiving the new album; as I mentioned it can be very tricky to capture the live sound of any artist, never mind one as talented as Oli. This is where Mike Vernon stepped in. The legendary producer did a remarkable job capturing Oli's sound. Upon first listening it was obvious that the energy of the live shows had been captured brilliantly, as had Oli's live sound and the confidence and maturity that he portrays live. The first track, 'Evil Soul', kicks in with the same heart-pumping energy as can be seen live and really sets the tone of the album - it intends to impress. And for those guitar tone lovers amongst you, Oli's tone really shines through in this album, much more so than in 'Open Road'. I would go as far as to say Oli now has his own signature tone!

The production of the album is excellent but would be irrelevant without the 12 great songs recorded by Oli Brown. As mentioned there is a great mixed of slow blues and more upbeat offerings. The lyrics show confidence, as does his singing. Although I personally would argue that there isn't a weak track among them, there are a few which really stand out and are shining examples of this lads talent. 'Love's Gone Cold' sounds like it was played by a seasoned blues veteran, not a young lad, and will hopefully go down in blues history as a truly great track. 'Speechless' is again a fine example of the raw talent here... the song is extremely well written and is a shining example of his guitar skills (and would make a fine single!)

To find criticisms of this album is actually difficult. One of my only concerns before I heard it was with the track 'Fever', but Oli has managed to make the classic his own, finding a perfect balance between the original and his own take on it. As with 'No Diggity' it shows the confidence and skill here to be able to reinvent classics (You know you loved the Blackstreet original).

As a few reviews have mentioned, This second album had to stand up in its own right, and not just be 'great for his age'. This album does just that. It matters not that he is a young and relatively new to the scene; this album would be GREAT even if he had been at it for decades. His fretwork is phenomenal, his voice better than ever and there is an unmistakable groove which runs throughout which makes this album really stick. This album has a great personality. In my opinion you will be hard-pushed to find a better album this year. If you are going to buy the album though, I really recommend you go to a gig and buy it there - the gigs are still something to be seen!

As with all reviews you must take this with a pinch of salt. I am, of course, a fan and have been since I heard the opening riff to 'Psycho' from Open Road 2 years ago. I will however say this: Until then I was merely a part-time blues fan. I do like the blues, I love SRV and always enjoy listening to BB King etc, but at heart I'm a rocker. I'd choose Guns N' Roses any day of the week. I play guitar and Slash is my idol, however, I now find myself trying to dial in an Oli Brown tone on my amp, trying to figure out how to play Oli Brown tracks (if only there were a tab book!) and I now have a love for this genre that other artists had failed to truly inspire. I have always liked this sort of music, but now I love it. Oli Browns songs are infectious (in a good way!) and here I feel he has created a truly unique and fresh take on the genre which I find inspirational. To me he sounds like no other - he quite simply sounds like Oli Brown which I can only see as a compliment. I only hope this album gets more coverage so that others will experience what I have. I believe it is the mark of a great musician to be able to inspire those who would otherwise not listen to their genre often. This is why I give this album 5 stars... because it truly deserves it

This is the 2nd Oli Brown album I have bought. When I saw him for the first time live I thought that " we are witnessing a phenomenon here" I haven't FELT such talent for years. I hope Olly will go on and on and take "blues" into the new generation. Listen and you will hear how. Great to put on after a hard day at the office to unwind!