MIKE DE VELTA

Whiskey In The Mornin’
Independent

Mike De Velta may well have been born in London but his heart and soul are soundly grounded in the west coast of Australia. His live gigs are always exciting as he builds the tempo throughout his blues-infused set, readily demonstrating that he wears his musical heart on his sleeve.

Whiskey In The Mornin’ has been a couple of years in the making at Mike’s home studio and is a truer reflection of his well-received live performances in that it has a definite blues bent on the majority of the 10 tracks, all self-penned. With the exception of drums (Dean Wuksta), De Velta plays an amazing array of instruments, including electric and acoustic guitars, lap steel, ukulele, bass, percussion and harmonica, as well as harmonising with his own lead vocals.

Pretty White Lies is a heartfelt plea for compassion within a relationship. A truly beautiful ballad. Love comes to the fore on songs such as The Wedding Song (watch this become popular at marriage ceremonies), This Great Love and the instrumental closing track, Doorstep To My Heart. For something quite different, try the calypso-infused rhythms of Island In The Sun, dreaming of an idyllic beach party, whilst having to deal with the harsher realities of life.

It’s the fine representations of blues songs which dominate the album, from the wailing harp opening on the title track to Mud And Grime Blues and Nicotine Stain. Their vitality fairly bursts from the speakers with purposeful intensity. Well worth a listen.

_DEREK CROMB