Piper & The Hard Times
Revelation
Hard Times Records
Publicity: KL Productions
By Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro © July 2024
Prelude
If you are someone who attended the 2024 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, or if you are someone located in the Nashville area, then I’m pretty sure I won’t be telling you anything you don’t already know about the winning band – Piper & The Hard Times. As a matter of fact, because the chances are high that you’ve seen their live shows, I envy you. That said, Piper & The Hard Times are the only band I’ve ever heard that can make a recording feel like a live show. Between Piper’s ear popping, eye opening, attention commanding vocals; plus, the bands profound sound and the intensity level at which they present it; somehow it all creates an amazing audio illusion effect like you’re right there with them.
Although I’ve come to know differently, had I been forced to make a bet as to what Piper’s career prior to music was, I’d go ‘all-in’ on a U. S. Army Drill Sergeant. Had he been, another bet I’d have made is that with his statuesque frame and that powerfully growling voice, he would have been responsible for creating many a tough and well-trained soldier.
Review
Piper & The Hard Times are: Al “Piper” Green on vocals; Steve “The Conductor” Eagon on guitar; Dave “Sexy Boy Himself” Colella on drums & percussion; Amy “The Professor” Frederick on piano and Hammond organ; and Parker “Ph Funkstick” Hawkins on bass. For this project they are joined by several special guests: Shaun Murphy and Lisa Oliver-Grey on backing vocals; Chris “Freight Train” Floyd on harmonica; Eddie Meyer on tenor sax; and Dick Aven on tenor and baritone sax. Revelation, the band’s debut release contains twelve all original songs.
On this track you’ll quickly learn that Piper is not referring to the band when he talks about “The Hard Times”. Lyrics like this will attest to that:
“Walked in the house, no power, things are dead.
I ain’t got no money, the car needs gas and my two kids ain’t fed.
It’s off to work, job number two.
Every dollar I make ain’t worth a dime and my wife’s about to shoot”
Musically and vocally, as I’ve already indicated, this is one of many all-out, full blown smokers. The rhythm is relentless; the guitar leads are frenzied; and vocally, when – and how – Piper says, “Brother, can you spare me a dime?”, you’ll find one! Speaking of vocals, this one features Shaun Murphy working her usual magic on backups and harmonies.
On a track titled “Heart For Sale” I think the fine print in the classified ad needs to include ‘broken several times and in need of repair’. Along with the usual masterful instrumentation, this track features fabulous piano highlights from Amy and killer tenor sax leads from Dick.
Being a connoisseur of the style, I’m comfortable with saying that Piper & The Hard Times even take slow blues to a whole other level. As a matter of fact, I’m going out on a limb and saying that this may very well be the first time you hear these words used in unison, but “Preacher Blues” is cutting edge slow blues done to perfection. The song is about a preacher who “pretends to see the light… and believes what he believes only when the time is right.” With his deeply emotional, heartfelt and somewhat angry vocal presentation, Piper makes it quite clear how frustrated he is with the hypocrisy of it all. As they should be on this type of song, Dave (drums) and Parker (bass) are in a tight, slow, but a bit edgy rhythm groove; Steve’s scorching slow blues licks have a touch of added raunch; and the tone on Chris’s harmonica leads have a growl that I’m sure had Piper smiling. Excellent track!
On the title track, Piper tells of how having a “Revelation” helped him deal with, and step away from, the things that caused him to be a ‘troubled man” (the title of the opening track). Along with the hard driving rhythm from the rest of the band, this one features outstanding Hammond organ runs from Amy and tasty tenor sax leads from Dick. Vocally, should you need one, Piper may just be the cause of you having a revelation of your own. That said, it’s not as if he needs it, but it’s hard to not appreciate help from backing vocals – especially when they sound like Lisa’s.
I almost feel like I shouldn’t say anything about this track because I don’t want to spoil the surprise….err, I mean shock of you hearing the insane pick-up line Piper uses on a woman – but I have to. So, the song opens with a light and laid-back conversation that finds Piper telling his friends about a hot woman he met. Then, in a loud and crazed voice that would scare the tease out of her hair, he tells them how he leaned over and told her “I C R A V E Y O U ! I want to misbehave with you! I crave you, want to do dirty things with you!”. Even more unbelievable than that is when I was expecting to hear she smacked him upside the head, is that she came back with “I will take you places you’ve ain’t never, never been”. So much for the old fashioned “Hi, may I buy you a drink”?
The album closes with “Twenty Long Years”, a song on which Piper & The Hard Times give their most traditional performance. Wearing his heart on his sleeve, this slow, very bluesy, autobiographical ballad, features Piper lamenting over the uphill battle he and the band had to continually fight during this not only long, but rough period of time. Musically, there are so many masterful and flawless performances going on behind him but yet, Piper’s story – and equally important, how he’s telling it, is what this one’s all about. Give your replay button a few taps with this one.
Other tracks on Revelation include: “Trouble Man”; “Working Farm Blues”; “Come Back Knockin'”; “Why Not Me”; “You’re Gonna Miss Me”; and “Walk With Me”.
Epilogue
Winning the International Blues Challenge is quite an accomplishment, and it definitely opens some doors. However, it is this listeners belief that this must have album is going to kick down doors. Coincidentally, just this week, the Blues Foundation opened up its Blues Music Awards submission process and I think you just might get where I’m going with this. Mark my words, Piper & The Hard Times will become a force to be reckoned with within the blues world. Who knows, one day they may actually have to consider changing the name of the band to Piper & The Formerly Hard Times.
To find out more about Piper & The Hard Times just visit them at – www.piperandthehardtimes.com. As usual, whomever you contact, please tell them their friend the Blewzzman sent you.
“The Blues Is My Passion And Therapy”
Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro
Blues Editor @ www.Mary4Music.com
2011 “Keeping The Blues Alive” Award Recipient
