Spanking as in brand spanking new, Spanking Charlene’s new single “Sugar Love” is with us and it is a goodie, if it doesn’t have the mainstream manipulations of Eric Amble or the garage rock pressure points of Little Stevie, what Charlene McPherson is a fresh live take on her latest release, a blues pop manifesto bursting with sexiness and brio.
Charlene told me: “It was recorded live at The Record Collector in Bordentown, New Jersey by the “south jersey taper”, this fan that attends and records a lot of live shows in New Jersey. He set up 2 stereo mic’s in front of the band and pressed record. It is all live, no overdubs. The song was written by me and my guitar player, Mo.”
Cool because it sounds live and it also sounds classic, a timeless blues shuffle with a great guitar solo and Charlene’s white hot singing.
It is a question whether the Spanking Charlene live show has been accurately captured live and even “Sugar Love”, which is unadulterated CS, doesn’t quite get the stubborn sauce and blues of Charlene, perhaps you have to see her to believe her, but it gets as close as anyone has.
You can stream it here.
Grade: B+
