Album Review: Shawn Pittman Brings the Blues on Make it Right!

Make it Right! Shawn Pittman Continental Blue Heaven

If there is one thing that stands out about Shawn Pittman's new release, Make it Right! is a commitment to blues, one which pays homage to a past still vital, and a future yet to be mapped out by younger generations.

Recorded in Denmark in the fall of 2019, the Oklahoma native and the father and son duo of Erkan and Levant Ozdemir on bass and drums respectively have produced a throwback record with a similar sound. A gritty, lo-fi snarl from Pittman's guitar and his voice set the tone for the album. "Done Tole You So!" is deep blues, followed by Albert King's "Finger on the Trigger" is a segue that doesn't jar. The hiss of the cymbals, not too much pop on the snare, and Pittman's licks are sunk into the blues' tradition but making it his own.

A John Lee Hooker boogie for the title cut matches well with Junior Kimbrough's "I Feel Good," and the album flows. The original "I'm Done" finishes off Make it Right! Listening, you get lost in the blues, the different shades from a trio that shows experience, but also Pittman's passion on this, his 13th album. It's a fast ride that calls the names of those mentioned, plus Jimmy Reed, Howlin' Wolf, and others. But the record, while raw, is one that takes hold, and will satisfy. https://shawnpittman.com/