Jimi Triple B’s 666 Blues Band – Bad Cards, Hard Rains and Nowhere Trains LP (Geenger Records)

Today, we have a treat for all those blues aficionados out there. If you’ve been familiar with the Belgrade underground scene for a while, then you must have heard of Jimi Triple B’s 666 Blues Band, a noisy, garage-infused blues band existing on a stubborn punk rock attitude. Now, anyone who’s been listening to blues music for a while would think this could be some sort of anomaly, but those who follow what Slobodan Boba Đukić has done for decades will definitely consider this as a logical move. For a man who played in bands like Drawbacks, That Shining Star, Hang, Eyesburn, In From The Cold, and probably many more acts along the way, 666 Blues Band just expands his musical vocabulary. Supported by musicians who unquestionably know what they are doing, they delivered “Bad Cards, Hard Rains and Nowhere Trains,” a full-length album with a catchy name and even catchier tunes. And the best part about this material is that the vinyl record carries only eleven songs, but the digital version offers many more, in the form of various bonuses and previously recorded works. A treat for anyone who wants to take a deep dive in what Jimi Triple B’s 666 Blues Band are all about.

Now, let’s focus on a vinyl version, shall we? If you are looking for a plain, old, traditional blues sound, forget about it. This band certainly takes all those fundamental elements from traditional blues, but is also fully aware that everything has been rehearsed, performed, and recorded before. As much as blues music has a heart, soul, and perfect ability to convey even the deepest emotions and hardships of life, music can be repetitive, repetitious, and bland. Therefore, Jimi Triple B’s 666 Blues Band explores blues music with a twist. And you can certainly hear that from start to finish. This is blues music for the hardcore fans, punk rockers, garage rock fanatics, outcasts, those who want something more than blue notes, pentatonic scales, and 4/4 beats. Besides bluesy themes, you may stumble upon those gritty, unfiltered, raw sounds, chuggy, heavily distorted low-ends, and everything from rockabilly to half-time rhythmic patterns. It’s as colorful, versatile, and innovative an album as it is, and it certainly showcases all the creativity, talent, knowledge, and experience of the entire band. The best part about it is how they never lose that particular rock ‘n’ roll edge. Yes, it is a blues record, but performed in a way you’ll never think of this material as another same-old, boring, BB King rip-off. Quite the contrary, “Bad Cards, Hard Rains and Nowhere Trains” is entertaining, ear-pleasing, catchy, memorable, engaging as it could be, one of those song collections where you will gladly spin it all over again.

But, of course, Jimi Triple B’s 666 Blues Band has even more traits, included along the way. Throughout the entire “Bad Cards, Hard Rains and Nowhere Trains,” you’ll never get a feeling like you’ve been listening to a local blues band. This band resonates with all those moves that will immediately fool your ears like you’ve been listening to a band emanating from Chicago, Memphis, and the Mississippi Delta, all those blues music meccas. Boba Đukić’s soulful, passionate, emotional, gritty yet melodic vocal performance keeps you engaged throughout the entire material, his guitar performance keeps you on your toes, like you’ve been chugging whiskey and beers in a dim-light, smoky bar somewhere in Mississippi, all while the subtle yet vividly hearable basslines offer heaviness, clarity, depth, and warmth and well-accentuated, dynamic, flawless beats, accentuations, and fills contribute even more groove, detail, and pace. The additional garage rawness, punk rock attitude, and rock ‘n’ roll soul spice things up on an entirely new level, making this album even more appealing to the ears. It’s an eloquent, intelligent, captivating record crafted by the musical geniuses who undoubtedly understand all the qualities of the genre, all while pushing it forward into tasteful, pleasant, forward-thinking experimentation. You should immediately purchase this vinyl through Geenger Records webstore if you passionately love good blues music.