It is impossible to look at the front and back covers of
Stoney Curtis' debut album,
Acid Blues Experience, without thinking of the psychedelic era; the trippy artwork on this 2005 release is very psychedelic-inspired, recalling album covers of the '60s and '70s -- and musically,
Acid Blues Experience does, in fact, have some psychedelic influences. But this 68-minute CD is never psychedelic in a power pop way;
Curtis doesn't cover
the Strawberry Alarm Clark's "Incense and Peppermints" or
the Beatles' "Strawberry Fields Forever." Instead, the psychedelic influences on
Acid Blues Experience are blues-rock and hard rock influences (including
Jimi Hendrix and
Cream), and the singer/guitarist's influences do not end or begin with the psychedelic era.
George Thorogood & the Destroyers and the late
Stevie Ray Vaughan are among the post-'60s influences, while the pre-psychedelic influences include electric Chicago blues greats like
Howlin' Wolf,
Muddy Waters,
Willie Dixon, and
Buddy Guy. Put all of those influences together, and you have a smart, focused blues-rock/hard rock disc that gets its inspiration from different eras and paints a very attractive picture of
Curtis as both a vocalist and a guitarist. Although
Curtis is an excellent singer, it would be a mistake to think that his guitar playing is simply guitar playing in service of his vocals;
Curtis' guitar chops are a vital part of his musical identity, and the burning instrumental "Mulholland Shuffle" demonstrates that he can be expressive even without vocals.
Curtis' second album,
Raw and Real, is a bit more essential than
Acid Blues Experience, but even so, this is an impressive and promising debut from the Chicago native turned Los Angeles resident.