Label: Gulf Coast Records

Jason Ricci and the Bad Kind’s latest album, Behind the Veil, is a powerful reminder of the potency of a certain combination—harmonica, guitar, drums, and gutsy vocals. It’s a magnificent collection of varied blues songs performed by a group who breathe and make music as a single force: Jason Ricci (harmonica, vocals), Kaitlin Dibble (vocals), Brent Johnson (guitar, vocals), Jack Joshua (guitars, vocals), and John Perkins (drums, vocals). Guests on the disc include: Joe Krown (piano, organ), Joanna Connpor (guitar), and Lauren Mitchell (vocals).

Tracks:
1. Casco Bay – Jason Ricci
2. 5 -10 -15 – Rudy Toombs
3. Baked Potato – Jason Ricci / Stachurski Shawn Dustin
4. Cirque du Soleil – Jack Joshua
5. Wrong Kind of Easy / Nobody But You – Kaitlin Dibble (Wrong Kind Of Easy) – Walter Spriggs (Nobody But You)
6. Ain’t She Fine – Bobby Rush
7. St. James Infirmary – Irving Mills / Don Redman
8. Why Don’t We Sleep On It – Jason Ricci (Lyrics & Music) / Brent Johnson (Music)
9. Terrors Of Nightlife – Dax Riggs
10. No Way – Kaitlin Dibble
11. Shipwreck – Jeff Turmes
12. Hip Hug-Her – Booker T. & The M.G.’s. (Steve Cropper, Donald “Duck” Dunn, Al Jackson Jr., Booker T. Jones)

It’s an energetic album full of highlights, partly due to the expansive musical territory it covers. It’s contemporary blues at its finest. More than just ambitious, the album is a lesson in the rewards of risk-taking. Whether it’s a dim-the-lights-dramatic tour de force, a sober, somber number, or a raw, fiery groove, each track benefits from the preceding one. The storytelling capability of Jason Ricci’s versatile vocals is singular and fully achieved. There is a New Orleans master of ceremonies at his core, and he knows just when to let it take over (and when to pull it back). It’s a masterful performance, creating an incredibly good time.