Reviews

Artist:Scott McKeon
Album:Can't Take No More
Label:Self Released
Tracks:10
Rating: ****
Contact:   http://www.myspace.com/scottmckeon

One of the great things about the internet is that it proves there is more to the UK music scene than London, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. There are loads of places that have got their own scenes going. In the past you never got to hear about them. Well that's all changed.
I'm hearing lots of good bands in their own scenes. Nottingham has got something really good going in the roots world at the moment and so has my own stomping ground of Poole/Bournemouth. Recently released, or about to be are albums from the likes of Jinder, The Accolade, Pete Christie and, now Scott McKeon.
Scott is a masterful blues guitarist that can draw on many styles. I've seen him hard rock blue and I've seen him and his regular bass player, Geoff Lai, both sat down playing acoustic blues in The Round at Mr Kyps.
He seems as comfortable there as he does when he's really giving it hell on the electric blues. I think Scott McKeon would be comfortable sat on top of a very sharp stake with rusty nails fixing his legs to the post, so long as his guitar was plugged in and he could reach a microphone.
It's not a surprise to discover that Scott has already opened for the likes of North Mississippi Allstars, Sonny Landreth and Buddy Guy and he's only just turned twenty. In addition to which he's also played on the revered stage at the world famous Antones blues club.
"Can't Take No More" draws most of it's power from the mains, this is electric and no mistake. Scott, together with Geoff and drummer Ben Jones have put out an album that can challenge perceptions about what and where southern rockin' blues sounds like and where it comes from. In fairness it has to be said that Scott's voice needs a few more cigarettes before it attains the gravel that it needs to do the instrumentation justice, but it's definitely moving in the right way.
"Can't Take No More" is not only finger blisteringly good blues, but it squirts some lemon into the wound to remind you that it's sharp as well.