how others see us

 Dave Lewis - TBL magazine  - blog - January 29, 2021
My thoughts on Crow Jayne…
Crow Jayne came to my attention via Andy Adams who tagged me on Facebook with their YouTube clip video for One Day Late, One Dollar Shy…Crow Jayne are led by guitarist Guy D’Angelo who we first met at the Led Zep Knebworth anniversary TBL meet at the Atlas pub in 2019.Guy has been a great support in recent months and has been in touch with details of Crow Jayne’s latest recording [...]Their influences are very much rooted in the 70s and Guy is a big Jimmy Page fan. This, unsurprisingly is a key ingredient in their sound. However, while they are highly derivative, Crow Jayne have a refreshing quality about them and a genuine self -belief in their abilities.So, here’s my thoughts on their first recording:One Day Late, One Dollar Shy opens with a Hendrix like swirl before kicking in to an infectious muscular riff. I noted a brief nod to Zep’s Over The Hills And Far Away in the chord sequence. Bassist Jake Sherlock and drummer Russ Wilson hold it all together with steady precision over Guy’s guitar histrionics. Nadya Slade’s vocals have a distinct air of authority as she makes herself heard in the mix..A cover of Paul McCartney’s Maybe I’m Amazed is performed in the brash arrangement The Faces adapted for the version on their Long Player album. This is a perfect showcase for Nadya – while her influences may lay in classic female singers such as Janis Joplin, there’s an English lilt to her voice that is similar to Vinegar Joe era Elkie Brooks.English Rose is a pretty acoustic instrumental. Opening in the vein of Jimmy Page’s White Summer it then switches into a pastoral piece that reminded me of Doug Boyle’s impressive playing on Robert Plant’s Liars Dance.Edge Of Love mirrors the bottleneck guitar effect of Hat’s Off To Harper and the pure acoustic playing of Black Mountain Side. There’s some atmospheric percussive additions and Nadya’s vocal undergoes various treatments as she relays some time honoured bluesy ‘baby -baby ’ mannerisms – eventually signing off with ‘’Yeah baby’’ and a laugh.So Bad, So Good picks up the pace being a strident drum led rocker. Guy’s wah- wah solo has a cascading Zep 1 feel about it. This number can be seen on their YouTube channel.It’s back to the acoustic for the bluesy work out 17 Days which is mainly a two hander between Guy and Nadya. Her vocals here have a touch of Stevie Nicks influence. It moves up a gear for a Bron- Yr -Aur like stomp.Toni’s Smile is another acoustic instrumental showcase for Guy – gentle and reflective.Finally, Betta’ Ride – this is an out and out blues showpiece and very much in the Zep I Can’t Quite You Baby/You Shook Me mould. Harmonica adding to the effect.Summary: My reference to their Zep like soundbites is merely to illustrate where their roots and influences lay – plainly Crow Jayne are much more than a Zep copyist outfit – there’s an originality and vitality in their playing, which would make for a great live experience. Until that opportunity presents itself sometime ahead, I look forward to further music from a band that are well worth checking out…So, to do so…