Annie Piper -- "More Guitars Than Friends"

Annie Piper is no stranger to this blog. She has produced four cds now, including this new one "More Guitars Than Friends," and each one has been a strong, melodic and passionate slice of the blues. Piper was originally from Australia, but she relocated to Cocoa Beach Florida in 2014. 
'More Guitars Than Friends’ (Sugar Daddy Records) is the first on her own label. 

Already an internationally acclaimed recording artist, her latest achievement is becoming a 2015 finalist in the UK Songwriting Contest.  
 

Piper wrote seven of the ten songs here--many of them are from AFTER she moved to the US. There are three covers: "Just A Little Bit" by Wolfman Washington, "Cold Pizza And Warm Beer" by Lonnie Pitchford, and "I'm Lost Without You" by Sam Chatmon. Piper is a strong singer, songwriter and bass player--and the rest of the band is Dave Kury on guitar, Frank Hetzler on drums and percussion, Mike Franklin on keyboards, and a horn section of Charlie de Chant on saxaphone (from Hall and Oats), Sam Zambito on trumpet, and Tim Franklin and Dave Kury and Frank Hetzkler on backing vocals. The cd is produced by Annie Piper and Mike Franklin.

As on previous releases, Piper shows off different styles of music. Wonder Woman features her bass playing, and Just A Little Bit shows off her vocals. Buckle Bunny could almost be a country hit. It features great piano work from Mike Franklin and a killer guitar solo by Dave Kury. The title track is a wonderful slow old style blues. Paper Bag is a feature for the horns, and Cold Pizza And Warm Beer is my favorite song on the cd. Everybody plays great here, and Piper's vocals and bass hold it all together. Shotgun Wedding features a steel drum and a lot of Caribbean percussion. I'm Lost Without You is given a lively treatment, and great guitar by Dave Kury. Eugene shows Piper singing over the Franklin's piano--I'd like to hear this one live. The closer is Blackberry Brandy, and this one slips nicely into K.D. Lang torch song territory. It's flat out cooks!

This is the best cd Annie Piper has made so far. I liked her earlier releases, but with this one, her gifts as a songwriter and singer and bass player continue to develop. You can buy this one from her website: annipiper.com