Anyone who may have thought that the departure of two-thirds of the original lineup of Boston blues trio GA-20 would set the Matt Stubbs-led band back would have been greatly mistaken, judging by the band’s new four-track EP (EP Volume 2), out this coming week.
With guitarist and vocalist Pat Faherty and drummer Tim Carman having moved on to form a new band, Canyon Lights, with a bit more of a rock flavor in 2023, guitarist Stubbs–who has spent the past decade and a half as a member of Charlie Musselwhite’s touring band in addition to founding GA-20 with Faherty in 2018–quickly found some more than suitable replacements in guitarist and vocalist Cody Nilsen and drummer Josh Kiggans, with the group sounding every bit as good as they did before, and Nilsen at times bringing a rawer, more soulful vocal a la more of a Sean Costello or Eddie 9V.
Check out, for example, the band’s gritty, hard-driving take on the Elmore James classic “Stranger Blues” featuring some spitting vocals and slide guitar from Nilsen. Or the soulful, shuffling “Cryin’ and Pleadin'” (Billy Boy Arnold) that opens the EP. (Because we couldn’t decide which of the two to feature, we’ve included both!)
Those great tracks bookend a light, swaying, early pop/rock-sounding “I Love You, I Need You” that showcases more of the crooning side of Nilsen’s vocals, and a passionate, soulful “I Don’t Mind” with stinging guitar and rich harmony vocals, making for a mighty impressive taste of the band’s new lineup.