Tracey Fordice & The 8 Balls

Out Of The Blues
Self-Produced

Out Of The Blues, the new disc by Tracey Fordice & The 8 Balls, is an enjoyable little foray into a variety of blues directions that at once is rocking, countrified, and elegantly beautiful. The band has been on an upward tear the past year, including the release of this fine album along with participation in the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, not to mention the marriage between the group’s front people, piano ace Tracey Fordice and guitarist Randy Yearout. Aside from the couple, longtime standout Portland-based drummer Johnnie Corrie and bassist Steven Mills round out the band. All four provide vocals.

The songwriting on Out Of The Blues is well-devised, with the stories behind the songs easy to capture. Mills relates a tale of finding blues in New Orleans, the band’s adventure to Memphis, and they rock with a deep groove on “Danger Zone.” Tracey Fordice voice is exceptionally noted on a number of tracks alongside her over-the-top keyboards. It is exceptionally displayed on “Looking For The Rain,” a soft number written by Nashville’s George Marinelli. On “Rudi Went To Rehab (And I Went To Jail)” the tale of addiction comes across in a Tom Waits mode. ”My Man’s Junk (Is Another Girl’s Treasure)” is a quirky double entendre piece about a garage sale loving husband. Finally, a real keeper to check out on this album is the ballad “Death By Misadventure” based on Rolling Stones’ founding member Brian Jones that effectively uses titles of a number of Stones’ songs and played in a country blues approach reminiscent of their late Sixties / early Seventies material from Beggar’s Banquet or Exile On Main Street. The record is closed out by a Mardi Gras second line song, “Marching To My Freedom,” that includes a horn section and piano from Chris Baum.

Recorded at Drool’n Dogg Records and produced and mixed by Dave Alvey, Out Of The Blues is a highly enjoyable and strong album from Tracey Fordice & The 8 Balls. It clearly shows the number of paths that the band is capable of leading you down and the talent level of all the members. Nice work for certain!

Total Time: 52:08

Alone Too Long / (I Got The) Blues In New Orleans / Danger Zone / Givin’ It Up / Looking For The Rain / Mojo Bag / My Man’s Junk (Is Another Girl’s Treasure) / Death By Misadventure / Good Help / Left Us In Memphis / Rudi Went To Rehab (I Went To Jail) / Marching To My Freedom