All songs written by Lauren Anderson - " Hit the Spot " - Co-Written with John Salaway and Adam McDonough
Kick Ass Band -
Drums - Matt Doctor - Bass - Hutch - Guitar - Dan Wecht - Keys, Organ - Jonathan Smith - Trombone - Will Elliot - Sx/Flute - Joe Douglas - Guest Guitarist on " Zombie Blues " - Albert Castiglia / " Hit The Spot " - John Salaway
I just love it when the women of the blues come out to raise hell and kick some ass. Then I read the reviews, written with a skewed point of view, and have to laugh to myself. So, when a badass musician like Lauren Anderson comes along, I have to thank the Blues Gods, scream “Hallelujah”, and raise a finger to the doubters out there.
" Burn It All Down " begins to raise hell right from the first track, the title cut, a ho-holds-barred blues-burner that certainly has the devil dancin' on the Crossroads. Check out the piano-thumpin hellfire on this one!! - " It's a make-believe prequel to Chris Stapleton's song " Midnight Train to Memphis “, Lauren explains, " I had to learn that song for a Stapleton showcase song I was participating in last fall. Stapleton's song found him describing what " it's like to be stuck in jail, but it never told the full story about how he got there. As a result, I began wondering about the backstory, and I found myself writing this song. I drew it from the perspective of a waitress and bartender who works at a dive bar. She's underpaid, disrespected, and treated poorly by a boss who doesn't care. As a result, the main character convinces her co-workers to help her burn the bar down, and they all end up being carted off to jail “.
" Soul is Mine " is very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin, a track that Jimmy Page himself would certainly envy and enjoy. With Laurens megaphone-like vocals it is a blues-rock tribute that is both contemporary and retro at the same time.
" Zombie Blues " is a lot of fun and a perfect party-ready dance track. Featuring Albert Castiglia on guitar. As Lauren explains, " " Zombie Blues " is just a fun, high energy, weird little blues tune. It makes you wanna get up and dance but the real magic comes from my friend Albert Castiglia. He's featured on this track on guitar and he really makes the song come alive! " . No bones about it - this is the perfect Halloween soundtrack - Lauren " Creeps it real" and shows that “Life is gourd " - On " Zombie Blues " - Let's have some skele - fun!
Switching gears, a bit we also get the incredibly powerful slow blues of " Rain Down on Me “; stomp-heavy, bass-driven, " Like A Woman “; and the tender blues ballad " Fool “.
American Blues Scene has hailed Lauren as " a determined dynamo of a performer adept at both blues and ballads”. Blues Blast Magazine praises that “strong voice with a touch of grit “. Making A Scene declares that " Anderson stakes her claim as an ever-changing songwriter whose music modernizes and reinterprets the bluesy, boundary-breaking females who came before her". Her live performances have become the talk of fans and critics alike, exceptional showcases for an extraordinary talent rising to the top of the music scene.
" My goal in live performances is to offer people a good time, but also to give them something that will resonate long after. I enjoy the exuberance and joy in making music, but I also like sharing the backstories of my songs and the emotions and experiences that allow people to relate and connect in ways that they can appreciate and understand”. Lauren has a huge well of personal experiences and stories that she shares with audiences. She has certainly become a source of inspiration, encouragement, and hope to so many folks out there.
Lauren was born in Chicago, now based in Nashville, classically trained throughout much of her life. Once considering a career as an opera singer, Lauren earned her undergraduate degree in music and a master's degree in music therapy from the University of Kansas. She worked for 7 years in a pediatric unit at the University of Kansas Hospital. Lauren worked as a music therapist, helping children and at-risk youth.
It wasn't long before Lauren realized that performing soul and rock music was a passion that had to be followed. She began performing solo gigs and recording both EP's and full-length albums. Lauren won 2015's Female Vocalist of the Year from the Midwest Music Awards and took first place in 2018's Wang Dang Doodle Competition. Her influences include Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, Nina Simone, to name just a few.
" Burn It All Down " is about resurrection, about rebirth, about discovery, the creation of new and exciting possibilities - let's have the audacity and the defiance to tear down old-fashioned ideas and bring about an inspired genesis. No rose-colored glasses here - there is pain and anguish out there but we can find ways to create a positive change, beating back the devil.
Lauren Anderson is a powerful tsunami with unpredictable results - she is a gifted song-writer and a fiery guitarist, an advocate for women, and a truly remarkable singer -whose power and passion is creatively on display live - and in the studio.
" Burn It All Down " should certainly inspire the next generation of blues musicians and fans out there. Plenty of excitement here, and lots of surprises along the way. Lauren Anderson and " Burn It All Down " are highly recommended!