I met Melbourne based Lloyd Spiegel in 2017 in Toronto just as I was starting to get acquainted with his music, luckily for me it was perfect timing as he had just released ' This Time Tomorrow ' the first in what has turned out to be a trilogy of albums that speak to life on the road as a musician - Lloyd has toured constantly home and abroad since he was 16 years old - 2018 saw the follow up ' Backroads ' which is a fabulous recording that won the 2018 Blues and Roots Radio Worldwide Album Of The Year Award, and now, the much anticipated follow up ' Cut and Run ' which certainly does not disappoint.
This release has it all, soulful acoustic ballads, searing blues rock solo's, Lloyd's distinctive vocal style and, if truth be told, some of the best songs he's written to date. In his homeland he is a living blues and roots legend, he has toured extensively throughout Australia, New Zealand, the United States, Canada, Europe and Japan. His contributions to music have earned him a myriad of accolades, such as Best Artist and Best Album at the Australian Blues Awards and being named as one of Australian Guitar Magazine’s Top 50 Australian guitarists of all time.
' Cut and Run ' will take you on an amazing cinematic journey, it will intrigue you lyrically, delivering at times deft and soulful acoustic guitar accompaniment with mesmerizing electric solo work thrown in. What separates someone of Lloyd's stature from the crowd is the feeling he puts into his playing and vocal delivery, for instance, the extra time given to hang on a note can't be taught, it's something that is innately built into the fabric of who he is as a very gifted musician, it comes with hours and hours of practice and hard work eventually becoming instinctive and played from the heart, drawing the listener in and painting vivid imagery, that's a rare gift demonstrated in abundance on this album.
Lloyd's two previous releases had him asking questions about life and experiences on the road, ' Cut and Run ' delivers the answers and opens the door to a new chapter in his career, it cements his place on the international stage as a leading light on the blues and roots scene. Solid tracks include ' Any Second Now ' ' Tokyo Blues ' and ' Track her Down ' with two of my personal favourites, the funky ' One More Heartache ' and the beautiful, yet sad ' Old Wounds '.
' Cut and Run ' is his 10th album and he's launching the tour here in Canada on September 19th in Medicine Hat with a number of dates that will see him visit Regina, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa, Toronto and a string of towns in between. His shows are extremely entertaining, as not only is he a fabulous guitarist and singer, he's also a gifted storyteller with a wonderful sense of humour.
Highly recommended, you need to own this album and see him live if he plays near you.
Visit Lloyd Spiegel's website http://lloydspiegel.com/about/