Fire It Up!

Personnel: Laurie Morvan (vocals, guitar); Carolyn Kelley (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Steve Savage; Laurie Morvan.
Recording information: Laughing Tiger, San Rafael, CA; Screaming Lizard Studios, Lakewood, CA; Whip Records, Berkely, CA.
Photographer: Bob Hakins.
Northern California electric guitarist Laurie Morvan's fourth CD shows her driving straight-ahead on the highway of no-nonsense blues, speeding along the urban highway of peers like Deanna Bogart, Deborah Coleman, and Debbie Davies. While her vocal style is easily comparable to Marcia Ball, she's a deeper, somewhat broader singer in complete control of any situation in life or social settings. Morvan wrote all of these tunes, which speak of the urban tradition, either comely or tough, depending on her mood. Many of these tracks feature some well-arranged group singing with Lisa Grubbs and Carolyn Kelley, while B-3 organists Sammy Avila or David Mathews swap on alternating cuts. Morvan's solid vocal chops are far from ordinary. Grubbs and Kelley sound great throughout, but especially so during the rocker "You Don't Know About Me" and the soulful, comforting "Let Me Carry Your Troubles." Laurie Morvan is ready to break out on more than just a local level, a first-class performer with plenty of blues appeal and musicality to carry her far on an international level, as per this enjoyable, recommended disc. ~ Michael G. Nastos