A Review of Todd Sharpville "Porchlight"

Todd Sharpville latest release "Porchlight" is two discs of soulful blues. Todd turned to blues legend Duke Robillard to help produce, mix, and add his guitar talents to the project. Robillard gets production and mixing credits. He also adds his guitar talents on "Lousy Husband (But A Real Good Dad)." Blues Guitarist Joe Louis Walker adds his six string talents on "When the Blues Come Calling." Kim Wilson, of The Fabulous Thunderbirds adds his harmonica skills on four tracks.

Todd Sharpville does not need the guests. Todd wrote 14 of the 15 songs on the "Porchlight" collection. The collection demonstrates his talents as a songwriter, guitarists, and vocalist. Sharpville also holds his own on guitar. In 1995 he won the award for being the best guitarists at the 1995 British Blues Award. His guitar is not over the top, however one listen and you can hear it. His guitar is played with restraint and taste. Blues great Hubert Sumlin calls Todd "the best British player I've heard since Peter Green." Sharpville delivers blues you can feel, blues people can relate too, his blues are real. His talents express his feelings and it shines through his music.

One of my favorite tracks from the collection include the last track which is the title track, "Porchlight." It is a slow, long blues which delivers vocals one can feel. Wonderfully, crafted slow blues leads. The first disc is outstanding with seven strong tracks which express Todd's pain from his real life. One can feel his trouble of a split marriage, a crumbling family, and his personal demons. The second disc adds variety and the project shows the diversity of blues in Sharpsville's quiver. The songs are expressive but cover a lot more ground and some are even rollicking,

Track Listing:

Disc One

1) If Love is a Crime

2) Lousy Husband (But A Real Good Dad)

3) Used

4) Why Does It Rain?

5) Can't Stand the Crook

6) Everything Will Be Alright

7) Old Feeling

Disc Two

1) When the World's Not Enough

2) When the Blues Come Calling

3) If That Ain't Love What Is?

4) Legacy of Greed

5) Whole Lotta Lady

6) Misery

7) Busted in Pieces

8) Porchlight

"Porchlight" is an album any blues lover should give a listen. They won't be disappointed with this set from a contemporary blues man. The collection was released in November of 2010 and is available on the MIG-music Stringcommander label.