Indulging in the Witchy Vibes of Savoy Brown's Iconic Album

The eerie sensation of Savoy Brown's "Witchy Feelin'" is a powerful force that transcends definition. The blend of haunting vocals, brooding guitar riffs, and chilling harmonica solos catapults the listener into a world of darkness and mystique. From the opening chords of the title track, it is clear that something sinister is at play. The slow, deliberate rhythm sets the stage for the haunting lyrics to unfold. The main idea that emerges is the evocation of a supernatural presence, lurking in the shadows. Throughout the album, the band creates a sense of unease and anticipation, drawing the listener further into their mystical realm.

Pat DeSalvo: I am in Florida.

And they do different kinds of upbeat stuff well, ranging from the excellent No Classic Love Song , which is jazzy, witty and lively, with some European undertones, to Wild , which leans on an All Along The Watchtower -like chord sequence while Jones delivers a lyric about suppressed yearnings to be daring, with Bruce eventually letting rip on guitar. Armed with a couple of resonator guitars in different tunings, he serves up an energetic solo selection of choons from the likes of John Lee Hooker and Muddy Waters.

Throughout the album, the band creates a sense of unease and anticipation, drawing the listener further into their mystical realm. Each track builds upon this eerie foundation, with songs like "Why Did You Hoodoo Me" and "Living on the Bayou" delving deep into the occult and the unknown. The music itself is a masterful combination of blues, rock, and elements of folk, all coming together to create an ethereal experience.

Blues Enthused

Well, here’s an unexpected pleasure. Matt Pearce plays guitar with hard rock outfit Voodoo Six. I did not know this. I’ve heard of Voodoo Six, and maybe heard a couple of minutes of their music. That’s it. It seems though, that about a year ago Matt Pearce had an epiphany. For whatever reason, he had a sudden urge to draw upon some of his listening habits, and “just knew I had to form a seriously funky blues band.” And lo, Gotta Get Home is the result – and it’s pretty damn good, folks.

That funk element is in play to some degree across much of the album, but especially on ‘Dig Deeper’, with its infectious hand-clapping dance groove and climbing melody, and also on the closing ‘Who Do You Think You Are’, which is funk-blues with bite, melding a steady rhythm, a gritty guitar riff that throws in a nod to ‘The Wanton Song’, slide guitar undercurrents, and good use of vocal harmonies.

They dial the funk down a tad on the likes of ‘Ordinary Blues’ and ‘Like A Hammer’, but still swing. Both tracks are driven along by twisting and turning riffs of different kinds, and on both there’s clever use of effects to give an inventive dimension to the sound. The former mellows in its middle eight, with languid slide ahead of a spot on solo, before a coda plays around with the rift again. The latter is a rockier affair with a tough chorus, softened with some female backing vocals but with a head-over-heels bridge.

There’s a bluesier feel to the mid-paced ‘Set Me Free’, which rolls along on an electric piano riff, while a contemplative opening guitar line sets the tone for Pearce’s subsequent soloing. Bluesier still though, is ‘Worried’, which features Delta blues like guitar picking over a simple metronomic beat, with just some crooned female “oohs” as a sweetener.

On a more soulful level is ‘Some People’, a slower song that’s one of the highlights of a strong album, with a nagging melody that’s liable to become an earworm, a momentary snatch of which evokes the Staple Singers’ ‘Respect Yourself’. Layering Pearce’s guitar with cascading piano runs and lush organ chords, it again makes good use of vocal harmonies, but in particular it showcases an expressive guitar solo. And taking that soulfulness into gospellated territory is the title track, with a bullhorn vocal on the opening verse as a precursor to some excellent female backing vocals from Acantha Lang. It’s got a good hook and another bout of impressive slide soloing, which carries on underneath more Lang vocal explorations to add to the atmospherics.

Gotta Get Home is a very good album – not a great album perhaps, but easily good enough to make me enjoy repeated plays over the last week. Matt Pearce has done a bang up job of delivering original material with arrangements that make engaging use of funky rhythms, on the money slide playing, some handy vocal harmonies, and refreshing guitar effects to liven things up. On extended listening I can recognise some of the influences he cites, such as the Black Crowes - but only fleetingly. Mostly what I hear though, is a sound that is distinctively and effectively that of Matt Pearce & The Mutiny.

The haunting melodies, coupled with the atmospheric production, create an unsettling backdrop for the tales of the supernatural. The listener cannot help but feel a chill run down their spine as they are transported to a realm where witches lurk and magic is afoot. The album's finale, "I Can't Stop the Blues," brings the journey to a close, but the eerie sensation lingers, leaving a lasting impression. Savoy Brown's "Witchy Feelin'" is an album that captures the essence of the supernatural, enveloping the audience in an otherworldly experience. The main idea throughout is the power of music to evoke a sense of unearthly mystery, drawing the listener into a spellbinding encounter with the unknown..

Reviews for "Unlocking the Secrets Hidden Within Savoy Brown's Witchy Feelin"

1. Lisa - 2 stars - I did not enjoy "Eerie Sensation of Savoy Brown Witchy Feelin". I found it to be quite repetitive and uninspired. The songs lacked originality and failed to grab my attention. The overall production quality was also subpar, with the vocals and instrumentals blending together in an unpleasant way. I had high hopes for this album, but it ultimately fell short for me.

2. Mark - 1 star - "Eerie Sensation of Savoy Brown Witchy Feelin" was a complete disappointment. The songs all sounded the same, with a monotonous and lackluster performance throughout. The lyrics were repetitive and lacked depth, failing to convey any meaningful emotions. I was hoping for a more captivating and innovative album, but unfortunately, this was far from it.

3. Sarah - 2.5 stars - While there were a few standout moments, overall, "Eerie Sensation of Savoy Brown Witchy Feelin" failed to leave a lasting impression on me. The album seemed disjointed, with songs that didn't flow well together. Moreover, the production felt mediocre, with an absence of sonic depth. I appreciate the effort put into this project, but it simply didn't resonate with me.

Rediscovering the Strange and Otherworldly Ambience of Savoy Brown's Witchy Feelin