Rating: ****
Keeping it real is what makes this one a real treasure.
Dan Patlansky is not the kind of artist who's going to blow your mind. His music is much to laid-back for that. After all, he sings and, more than anything as a guitarist, strums the blues. But, oh boy, does he do that with passion and soul.
It's hard to believe that this is a local boy and only 20-something nogal! The traditional picture of a true-blood blues musician is set in the Mississippi delta, of a certain age and more often than not, African-American.
Patlansky doesn't fall into any of the categories, yet he allows the music to do the talking. It is for blues fans, and especially those who can fall right into the moody instrumentals with the husky voice singing the blues every once in a while.
Nine of the 11 tracks are original and it's authentic stuff that this young local lad is turning out. He's surrounded himself with some of the best, has not bowed to commercialism, is out on the road introducing his fare and with this laid-back bluesy music, he should win many hearts.