The Black Sorrows fight the good fight on their joyous single and video Revolutionary Blues — showcasing today on Tinnitist.
The second high-energy single from the veteran Australian roots-rockers’ 22nd album Saint Georges Road, Revolutionary Blues busts out of the gate with a spirit of wild abandon crossed with polished confidence only years of honing musical craftsmanship can produce.
“The band really owns this track,” says Joe Camilleri, Australian Recording Industry Hall of Famer and the leader of the internationally successful ensemble.“It’s just a lot of fun. Initially, I had a different concept, but we took it into a country/blues/gospel sound. And lyrically, it could be about any time. There could be a revolution brewing somewhere.”
With its own swinging Saturday night rhythm, dual country guitars, honky-tonk piano and soulful gospel vocals, Revolutionary Blues lives up to The Black Sorrows’ hit-filled past. In fact, this is Camilleri’s 50th career release, putting him in the esteemed company of other household names from Down Under like Olivia Newton-John, Jimmy Barnes, John Farnham and Slim Dusty.
The lifelong singer-songwriter, saxophonist, guitarist and producer with a five-decade career has earned the living legend designation bestowed on him. Luminaries such as Elvis Costello, John Denver and Frankie Miller have recorded his songs and with The Black Sorrows, Camilleri has toured Australia relentlessly, played to sold-out audiences across Europe, racked up 18 ARIA nominations, two awards, and sold well over two million albums. The honours continue: Saint Georges Road parked at the top of several Australian charts shortly after its September release.
Camilleri felt obliged to keep the creative bar high for the Sorrows’ latest effort. He brought these songs — which he co-wrote with long-time collaborator Nick Smith — to Peter Solley, the Grammy-nominated producer who helmed Camilleri’s breakthrough project with his band Jo Jo Zep and The Falcons in 1979, earning him his first two top 40 hits.
“We were two like-minded souls coming together for what could be the last time,” Camilleri says. “We knew we had something special. A record that was a culmination of everything I’d done before and probably the best record I’ve made.”
In the current Black Sorrows lineup, Camilleri is joined by Claude Carranza on guitar, James Black on keyboards, Mark Gray on bass and Tony Floyd on drums. Watch Revolutionary Blues above, listen to Saint Georges Road below, and share your sorrows at the band’s website, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
