Tore Down House
Tore Down House takes the direct appeal of electric blues and gives it some unexpected turns. Scott Henderson brings a jazz guitarist's ear for harmony into music that still has plenty of grit. The arrangements can be clever without losing their sense of fun. Strong singing, especially from Thelma Houston, gives the instrumental detail a human centre.
Dolemite starts with a lively blues-funk groove. Organ and horns help shape the arrangement, while Henderson leaves room around his guitar lines. He can play quickly, but the performance is just as effective when it relaxes. The rhythm section gives him enough support to make either approach work.
The title track slows the pace and gives Houston an especially strong setting. Her voice brings feeling and force, while the guitar adds expressive responses. Changes in harmony and rhythm make the song more unusual than its first impression suggests. Henderson develops the blues framework without abandoning its emotional clarity.
I Hate You finds another way to change the mood. Its old-fashioned vocal style and playful exchanges turn an unhappy relationship into something deliberately comic. That humour helps the album avoid taking its considerable musical ability too seriously. It also gives the singing a character beyond simply providing a break between guitar solos.
The blend will not satisfy every blues purist. Some arrangements move further into fusion than a traditional song needs, and a few production details are less tidy than the playing deserves. Nevertheless, Henderson makes those changes feel purposeful. Tore Down House offers expressive guitar, convincing vocals and a rhythm section that can follow difficult ideas without making them sound like homework. Its combination of blues feeling and musical curiosity remains a considerable strength.
