G. Love keeps grooving on 'Sugar'
G. Love & Special Sauce, “Sugar” (Brushfire Records)
It's been 20 years and G. Love & Special Sauce are still grooving with their blues-meets-hip-hop sound.
G. Love (born Garrett Dutton), Jimi “Jazz” Prescott and Jeffrey “Houseman” Clemens made the band's self-titled debut album in 1994, winning over fans with G. Love's harmonica and guitar, Jimi Jazz's stand-up bass and Houseman's drums.
The trio is back together on “Sugar,” with their signature mix of bluesy tracks and songs with more mainstream appeal.
As the name suggests, “Weekend Dance” will get you up off your feet while “Saturday Night,” “Cheating Heart” and the title track keep with G. Love's longtime themes of good times and getting over heartbreak.
“Sugar” — G. Love's first album since 2011's “Fixin' to Die” — features appearances from Ben Harper, Marc Broussard and New Orleans horn player Shamarr Allen. One track not to miss: “One Night Romance” pairs G. Love with gospel and soul singer Merry Clayton.
“Sugar” should give G. Love plenty of material for a summer tour that starts in July.