Altsounds - Davy Knowles & Back Door Slam

Dire Straits was what made him pick up the guitar, a Robert Cray song was the inspiration behind the band name and Joe Satriani named him as his new favourite modern-day bluesmith. Davy Knowles, along with drummer Ross Doyle and bassist Adam Jones, certainly was a pleasant surprise when he entered the music world under the name Back Door Slam in 2007. The heavy blues-rock of debut album 'Roll Away' is so full of passion, excitement and talent it would be unthinkable for it not to make any impression.

Although only in his early twenties, when recording "Roll Away", Davy Knowles performs like he has seen and heard it all before. There's fire in his voice, he plays his guitar like it's burning down and the songs, mostly written by himself are practically all winners. In fact, he puts so much feeling and expressions in his songs that he almost makes the blues uplifting and energetic instead of downbeat and dark.

Opener 'Come Home' reminisces the highly-spirited Gary Moore, both in its voice and guitar, although Knowles himself stated that it was Joe Cocker and Paul Rodgers who inspired him to sing like that. Nevertheless, he definitely does have that melodic feel Moore adds in his blues violence. Especially songs like 'Heavy On My Mind', 'Too Late' and 'Real Man' which could have easily been identified as Gary Moore covers, or even better, Gary Moore classics. That it was Mark Knopfler that turned him into a guitarist also becomes apparent, though a little bit hidden in all his enthusiasm, on songs like 'Gotta Leave' and 'Roll Away', where he uses that subtle, sliding guitar technique so famously adapted by the former Dire Straits front man.

The one thing that makes "Roll Away" more than just a blues album is the fact that Knowles and co. do more than the old-time 12 bar blues tricks. The acoustic driven 'Stay', about two guys who tragically died in a car accident (one of them being Brian Garvey, the rhythm guitarist of the band), seeks the edges of melancholia but never drowns in misery. 'It'll All Come Around' sounds like a regular, though very good, rock song and on 'Too Good For Me' Knowles also finds his way in the genre of Americana.

Like all the great bluesmen, Knowles needs another man's style in order to find his own, but that he is going to be a significant musical force is for sure. Since this album was released a couple of things have changed - most remarkable the split between Knowles and Doyle & Jones - but with Jeff Beck saving him a spot on the front row of the stage earlier this year and Peter Frampton co-producing his new album, things will probably work out fine for Davy Knowles and Back Door Slam.