Do you feel Joe Bonamassa’s lost the common touch? Do you wish Gark Clark Jr would stick to the blues? Do you hate whatever it is that John Mayer does? Then open your arms and embrace blues-rock superstar-in-the-making Dan Patlansky. For anyone craving a contemporary six-string icon who excels as a singer, songwriter and guitarist, Dan is most definitely your man.
After a decade forging a healthy reputation in his native South Africa and on the blues circuit, Patlansky’s critically acclaimed seventh album, 2014’s ‘Dear Silence Thieves’, proved to be his international breakthrough. It followed the guitarist opening for Bruce Springsteen in Johannesburg and prefaced his landing a coveted support slot on Joe Satriani’s recent UK tour.
Far from being daunted by following that success, Patlansky has made it look rather easy. Tougher, tighter and with his songwriting skills continuing to blossom, ‘Introvertigo’ betters its classy predecessor while significantly amping up the hard rock voltage.
Check out the screaming thrill ride of Run, Heartbeat’s ferocious stomp or the grizzled stew of Queen Puree for proof. This is pumped up blues-rock delivered with enough swaggering grooves to get the dead dancing.
Patlansky is truly an artist whose brand of blues is rooted in the present, but that’s not to say his influences aren’t apparent. The jangling Hendrix picking of Bet On Me, Western Decay’s choppy Clash chords and the humid emoting of Still Wanna Be Your Man, a song that could be a distant relation of Led Zeppelin’s Since I’ve Been Loving You, all reference the greats.
What gives him a contemporary edge, though, is a knack for combining yesteryear’s iconic touchstones with modern musical touches and relevant storytelling. Sonnova Faith, for example, is a storming barrage of funked up riffage that recalls Audioslave while taking a venomous swipe at those who use religion to line their pockets and exert power.
Where someone like Bonamassa is quite guarded and never reveals too much of himself, revelling in classic blues mythology, imagery and metaphors, Patlansky adopts a more traditional singer-songwriter approach, baring his soul while making us feel like we’re listening to someone who lives in our world.
Loosen Up The Grip’s tortured piano strains seek relief from the prolonged effects of childhood bullying, Run encourages emancipation from twisted mob mentalities and Poor Old John, although a vintage bluesy revenge song about an unfaithful wife and her new man, finds Patlansky promising to ‘get a grand’ for the guy’s liver and kidneys. Which might make it the first blues song about organ harvesting.
It’s also great to hear a guitarist whose vocal ability matches that of his fretwork. Sounding like a more charred Steven Tyler, Patlansky has such commanding and soulful delivery that, allied to his songcraft, you almost forget what a tasteful and exciting guitar player he is. The solos on this record would be defining moments for less evolved players.
’Introvertigo’ is apparently what happens when an introvert is put in a prolonged situation surrounded by extroverts, and Patlansky feels that encapsulates his own experience of being a shy guy in the music industry. In which case, he may need to buckle up and strap in, because albums like this suggest he’s going to be living in that dizzying orbit for many years to come.
Dan Patlansky Upcoming Tour Dates are as follows:
Mon June 06 2016 - SHOREHAM-BY-SEA Ropetackle Arts Centre
Tue June 07 2016 - CARDIFF Globe
Thu June 09 2016 - LONDON London Jazz Cafe
Fri June 10 2016 - STAFFORDSHIRE Foxlowe Arts Centre
Sat June 11 2016 - CHESTERFIELD Real Time Live
Sun June 12 2016 - CHESTER Chester Live Rooms
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