One Thing That’s for Sure

Louisiana Red Hot

lakeColin Lake traded in the Pacific Northwest for the Deep South, relocating from Portland, Ore., to New Orleans and finding a mentor in musician Eric Lindell. “One Thing That’s for Sure” is Lake’s second post-migration album, continuing his metamorphosis into a notable blues/soul/R&B singer-songwriter who excels on slide and lap steel guitar.

On the title track he sounds like B.B. King jamming with the Subdudes. For “The World Alive,” Lake conjures cosmic pedal-steel sounds out of his lap steel. “I’m Trying to Tell You” gets funky with wah-wah and organ. Gospel-style background vocals and folksy harmonica grace the stripped-down “A Quiet Mind.”

“La Madrugada” is the album’s lone instrumental, comprising Dobro-like lap steel, organ and drums. On “Pay the Price,” Lake plays fuzzed-out electric slide à la Ry Cooder and sings like Ben Harper.

The record closes with “Lonesome for the West,” an eight-minute showcase for dueling and double-lead multitracked slide guitars.

By using a horn section on several songs, background singers here and there, and a guitar solo by Luther Dickinson of the North Mississippi Allstars (on “She’s Mine”), Lake elevates himself to the real deal — and that’s one thing that’s for sure.gnm_end_bug

Tracks
1. One Thing That’s For Sure
2. She’s Mine
3. The World Alive
4. I’m Trying To Tell You
5. A Quiet Mind
6. La Madrugada
7. Pay The Price
8. Ninety-Nine Miles
9. Just Begun
10. If It Ain’t For You
11. Lonesome For The West

Total time: 53:05

External links
artist’s website
amazon.com
iTunes Store