Spun: Eddie Turner

By Lori Anne Archer

Straight out of the fires of hell comes a smoking new blues recording from American guitarist Eddie ‘Devil Boy’ Turner. The Turner Diaries is his follow up to last year’s successful solo album debut, Rise.

Turner’s latest offering is a spicy brew of blues/rock fusion with a strong emphasis on his voodoo-style guitar prowess. Although his technique is staggering, the focus is on the mood and passion his playing evokes. The disc is ripe with Turner’s hypnotic swirling riffs and evil-sounding drones. Nasty guitar chops are juxtapsed with cleaner ethereal passages and some impressive slide work.

It’s not traditional blues in any sense. Turner discards the rule books and plays instinctively from the heart in his own unique style. This modern blues approach is nicely blended with elements reminiscent of Stevie Ray Vaughn and Jimi Hendrix. Turner’s vocals also have a ghostly Hendrix quality, complimented by soulful female backing singers.

With the exception of Sonny Thompson’s “I’m Tore Down,” all of the tracks are penned by Turner and offer a convincing testament to his talents as a songwriter and arranger. Aided by state-of-the-art production, The Turner Diaries is hot, cutting-edge blues that simply must be experienced.

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