Another day and another modern day blues album. It’s the blues and it will never go out of fashion and Leonardo Giuliani demonstrates that he knows the style inside and out with his album “Rogue.”
So, duly and verily, Leonardo Giuliani bends strings like a man who has heard the entire Alligator records catalogue from back in the day. This is a fine example of big city blues that has been rounded off by extended exposure to the civilising qualities of Americana and it was no surprise to find that each song rolls like it was designed for a festival audience with an easy eloquence always on show and enough in the way of guitar solos to keep the purists happy. So far so good, and I was just about to file this album in the safe and sound category, when our Mr Giuliani right turns into Lenny Welch territory and kicks it right out of the park with the unashamedly sentimental “Nothing But My Babe.” Always listen right to the end for that’s the best place to find a surprise.
Slickly performed, “Rogue” shows that Leonardo Giuliani knows what the better class of people want. He takes no chances in that respect yet the mark of class is in there too and you can’t argue with that either.