Paul's Uncle John on NBC national news-Feb. 26, 2010 - March 4, 2010
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Paul "Mayo" Mayasich: News & Tidbits
Belgium Reviews of Paul's CDs - April 16, 2009
4/09 From Rootstime, Blikvangar CDs, reveiwed by Ronny Bervoets
www.rootstime.be Click Blikvangar and then Paul Mayasich
(The reviews have been translated from Dutch to English)
For people who like the sound of a good slide guitar, one that sounds just as good as those of David Lindley, Duane Allman, Ry Cooder, Derek Trucks and some other
real great players, we got a secret tip: a man who's name might (not) yet have the same resonance as those of the guys mentioned above, but we think this should change
as soon as possible. That's why we decided at "Rootstime" to put this man in the spotlights.
Paul Mayasich is his name, or "Mayo" in short. He is a top notch musician, singer-songwriter, but first off all: a superb slide guitar player. He released four cd's, all filled to the rim with some fine roots and blues songs. Let's have a closer look at them in cronological order.
WHERE YOU BEEN?
Released in 2002, this was a cd like I had not heard in years, with a heavenly sounding slide, some very strong songs, brought with an equal strong voice. The opener "Gimme A Break" is a good composition to start with, and has some great guitarplaying in it. "Back Slidin" is next, a song co-written with bassplayer John Wright, with an organ sounding like Augie Meyers' in his best days, and in the middle of that song Paul on slide, improvising in a subtile way. The mean and dirty Hound Dog Taylor sound of "Sadie" again is very special, because not only that guitar sounds really greasy, Paul's vocals also, it seems here like he is singing throught a "Green Bullet" mike, or is it a megaphone, who knows? Anyway, the result is the most dirty sounding version I ever heard of this song. It even sounds more "dirty" than the original, which means a lot in Hounddog's case.
What follows next is heaven, and the reason why I ordered this cd instantly "Somewhere in The Night" my favourite "Mayo" song, and also the song you could hear for months when you visited the "Myspace" of Rootstime. A song with a slide guitar which gives you goosebumps, and with a lot of soulful atmosphere in it, especially in Paul's voice.This is one of those songs, i'm sure I will still be listening to ten years from now, a song that remains timeless. We can not review all the highlights of this one, for the simple reason that they are all good. All songs are own material, except for one, the bluesy "Prisoner " written by John Wright. Every song on this cd will let you enjoy that wonderful slide and steel guitar. With sublime tracks like "Mile After Mile" and the haunting "This World" this debut was surely very impressing already.
TIMES IS HARD
Released in 2004, with almost the same musicians, although the band now has a name: 'Benderheads". This release continues in the same line, with the slide guitar as the main ingredient for some fine roots-rock and blues tracks, in this sequel to that very strong debut. 'Mainline' opens strong, a composition with a slide sounding like only Ry Cooder (and Mayo) can make their slide sound. "Bottle Up & Go" the Lightnin' Hopkins classic, completely updated by Paul Mayasich in a style that is a reminder of David Lindley's "El Rayo X" days. Great song! Then "Be An Angel", an atmospheric track, beginning quietly in a "Paris/Texas" atmosphere, when halfway Paul plays a scorching slide solo, to beautiful for words! The Cooder classic 'Down In Hollywood " follows, played in a slightly more funky version than the original. Also "How Can A Man Stand Such Time And Live" is a song Ry Cooder covered live before, and Alfred Reed composition, and a song that also seems to fit Paul like a glove. An absolutely superb, intimate version of it is the result. (I know, I'm repeating myself in superlatives, but there are no other words to describe this splendid guitar sound) Furthermore, only own compositions, such as the lovely "Lonely Time" and "That Man", with an atmosphere that breathes the Muscle Shoals studio sound, it seems like Duane Allman is jamming with with Booker.T. Throughout the CD, there is that strong voice of Paul, who can handle each song, whether it is rock, as in "Roll With The Punches" or deep blues, as in the long "Troubled Blues", it always sounds just right. In the very original song "Times Is Hard" he manages to sounds like Nick Drake meets John Martin (yes, just try to imagine that :-)). Conclusion, a hit in size, this "Times Is Hard", a title that four years later only got its full significance, when the recession struck hard in 2008.
I LOVE YOUR SOUP
Up until now, Paul's most recent release. It's a strong live recording that appeared in 2008, and recorded in Bassett Town Hall in Northern Minnesota. Whether this is a real concert with public is not really clear, because the recordings sound like real studio takes. We think it's a live studio recording without overdubs. The opener and title track is an instrumental, strongly influenced by Ry Cooder and David Lindley acoustic work, it is reminiscent of their obscure 'Eel River" recording they made together. On "Tell Me" the Bender Heads sound a bit like Cream and "Mr. Politician" was probably the model. "Never Make Your Move Too Soon" by Will Jennings, published by Cooder and BB.King get a good editing, nice and funky, with Paul's channeling Derek Trucks' typical slide guitarsound. I always thought Derek was the only one who could create that sound but he is clearly not the only one . Good old fashioned blues sounds in "I Can not Be Satisfied" by Muddy Waters. If you really wanna hear Paul sounding extremely dirty, here's a rough, greasy slide with ditto sounding vocals in "Devil's Face". Hound Dog Taylor meets Captain Beefheart at the crossroad. like on each of his releases Paul Mayasich again delivers a bone-chilling, sensitive and beautiful track, "Watch Out Boy" it is called this time, delicious! While "Arms Of The Blues" is a long and slow standard bluessong, with all "Mayo" ingredients in it,a wonderful voice and guitar and lots of atmosphere. "Good Man Blues" adds up to that atmosphere and a wonderful rendition of "Amazing Grace" even beats my favourite version of that song by Jeff Beck. The recording at Bassett Town Hall closes with the eight-minute, original-sounding "Black Coffee", with some great slidework included . Everyone is allowed to enjoy themselves, and Paul also does so with some special vocal work . By this we know that the Bender Heads are live as good as they are in a studio, and the idea of making that live CD one that is filled with all new material instead of making it a "Best of" is something we can only applaud.
www.rootstime.be Click Blikvangar and then Paul Mayasich
(The reviews have been translated from Dutch to English)
For people who like the sound of a good slide guitar, one that sounds just as good as those of David Lindley, Duane Allman, Ry Cooder, Derek Trucks and some other
real great players, we got a secret tip: a man who's name might (not) yet have the same resonance as those of the guys mentioned above, but we think this should change
as soon as possible. That's why we decided at "Rootstime" to put this man in the spotlights.
Paul Mayasich is his name, or "Mayo" in short. He is a top notch musician, singer-songwriter, but first off all: a superb slide guitar player. He released four cd's, all filled to the rim with some fine roots and blues songs. Let's have a closer look at them in cronological order.
WHERE YOU BEEN?
Released in 2002, this was a cd like I had not heard in years, with a heavenly sounding slide, some very strong songs, brought with an equal strong voice. The opener "Gimme A Break" is a good composition to start with, and has some great guitarplaying in it. "Back Slidin" is next, a song co-written with bassplayer John Wright, with an organ sounding like Augie Meyers' in his best days, and in the middle of that song Paul on slide, improvising in a subtile way. The mean and dirty Hound Dog Taylor sound of "Sadie" again is very special, because not only that guitar sounds really greasy, Paul's vocals also, it seems here like he is singing throught a "Green Bullet" mike, or is it a megaphone, who knows? Anyway, the result is the most dirty sounding version I ever heard of this song. It even sounds more "dirty" than the original, which means a lot in Hounddog's case.
What follows next is heaven, and the reason why I ordered this cd instantly "Somewhere in The Night" my favourite "Mayo" song, and also the song you could hear for months when you visited the "Myspace" of Rootstime. A song with a slide guitar which gives you goosebumps, and with a lot of soulful atmosphere in it, especially in Paul's voice.This is one of those songs, i'm sure I will still be listening to ten years from now, a song that remains timeless. We can not review all the highlights of this one, for the simple reason that they are all good. All songs are own material, except for one, the bluesy "Prisoner " written by John Wright. Every song on this cd will let you enjoy that wonderful slide and steel guitar. With sublime tracks like "Mile After Mile" and the haunting "This World" this debut was surely very impressing already.
TIMES IS HARD
Released in 2004, with almost the same musicians, although the band now has a name: 'Benderheads". This release continues in the same line, with the slide guitar as the main ingredient for some fine roots-rock and blues tracks, in this sequel to that very strong debut. 'Mainline' opens strong, a composition with a slide sounding like only Ry Cooder (and Mayo) can make their slide sound. "Bottle Up & Go" the Lightnin' Hopkins classic, completely updated by Paul Mayasich in a style that is a reminder of David Lindley's "El Rayo X" days. Great song! Then "Be An Angel", an atmospheric track, beginning quietly in a "Paris/Texas" atmosphere, when halfway Paul plays a scorching slide solo, to beautiful for words! The Cooder classic 'Down In Hollywood " follows, played in a slightly more funky version than the original. Also "How Can A Man Stand Such Time And Live" is a song Ry Cooder covered live before, and Alfred Reed composition, and a song that also seems to fit Paul like a glove. An absolutely superb, intimate version of it is the result. (I know, I'm repeating myself in superlatives, but there are no other words to describe this splendid guitar sound) Furthermore, only own compositions, such as the lovely "Lonely Time" and "That Man", with an atmosphere that breathes the Muscle Shoals studio sound, it seems like Duane Allman is jamming with with Booker.T. Throughout the CD, there is that strong voice of Paul, who can handle each song, whether it is rock, as in "Roll With The Punches" or deep blues, as in the long "Troubled Blues", it always sounds just right. In the very original song "Times Is Hard" he manages to sounds like Nick Drake meets John Martin (yes, just try to imagine that :-)). Conclusion, a hit in size, this "Times Is Hard", a title that four years later only got its full significance, when the recession struck hard in 2008.
I LOVE YOUR SOUP
Up until now, Paul's most recent release. It's a strong live recording that appeared in 2008, and recorded in Bassett Town Hall in Northern Minnesota. Whether this is a real concert with public is not really clear, because the recordings sound like real studio takes. We think it's a live studio recording without overdubs. The opener and title track is an instrumental, strongly influenced by Ry Cooder and David Lindley acoustic work, it is reminiscent of their obscure 'Eel River" recording they made together. On "Tell Me" the Bender Heads sound a bit like Cream and "Mr. Politician" was probably the model. "Never Make Your Move Too Soon" by Will Jennings, published by Cooder and BB.King get a good editing, nice and funky, with Paul's channeling Derek Trucks' typical slide guitarsound. I always thought Derek was the only one who could create that sound but he is clearly not the only one . Good old fashioned blues sounds in "I Can not Be Satisfied" by Muddy Waters. If you really wanna hear Paul sounding extremely dirty, here's a rough, greasy slide with ditto sounding vocals in "Devil's Face". Hound Dog Taylor meets Captain Beefheart at the crossroad. like on each of his releases Paul Mayasich again delivers a bone-chilling, sensitive and beautiful track, "Watch Out Boy" it is called this time, delicious! While "Arms Of The Blues" is a long and slow standard bluessong, with all "Mayo" ingredients in it,a wonderful voice and guitar and lots of atmosphere. "Good Man Blues" adds up to that atmosphere and a wonderful rendition of "Amazing Grace" even beats my favourite version of that song by Jeff Beck. The recording at Bassett Town Hall closes with the eight-minute, original-sounding "Black Coffee", with some great slidework included . Everyone is allowed to enjoy themselves, and Paul also does so with some special vocal work . By this we know that the Bender Heads are live as good as they are in a studio, and the idea of making that live CD one that is filled with all new material instead of making it a "Best of" is something we can only applaud.