STICKSHIFT ANNIE AND THE OVERDRIVE
Out of Her Mind (Left of the Dog)
Reviewed by Eric Steiner

---

Last Fall, I saw Stickshift Annie and the Overdrive open for Tommy Castro at Seattle's Century Ballroom. After the show, I thought they were ready to be a headliner, and after listening to Out of Her Mind, I'm looking forward to their next show. Their debut CD features roadhouse style blues and the entire CD rocks like they do live, and this ten-song set should get them more than a little airplay outside their Pacific Northwest home. Leave it to a Seattle blues band in dot-com land to do "High Tech Blues," a nod to relationships connected via phone, fax, pagers, and electronic mail (for better or worse). "Moody Woman Blues" is one of my favorites off this disc, and "Burning Up" shows off Annie Eastwood's fine and sultry vocals. The Overdrive are powered by Ed Martinez and Ian Waldie on guitar, with an in-the-pocket rhythm section of Carl Jackson on drums and Jack Kinney on bass. James Middlefield gets that big, fat harp sound just right, just like harpmaster Jerry Portnoy, live and on this CD, and shares in the vocals, too. Check out the band's colorful website at www.nwlink.com/~dittdsgn/index.html.

Track List:

High Tech Blues * I Don't Know * Troubled Fool * Moody Woman Blues * Burning Up * Miss Phyllis * Stand Up for Something * Family Matters * Out of Her Mind * In My Slipper

[Pick up this CD at www.amazon.com.]

© 2002 - Eric Steiner