Kai Strauss is no stranger to blues music having been in the European scene for close to three decades now. With the title of his sixth studio album, and at the age of 50, Strauss declares he is In My Prime.
Strauss doesn’t so much wear his influences on his sleeves as he does have them tattooed exquisitely. He’s not shy about it either, a glance at his website sees Strauss listing the blues pioneers as his idols. Despite this it’s impossible to point to one specific influence and the album gives these pioneers yet another outlet to live on through.
This is a blues album but it’s particularly “funky” as far as blues go. In a sense it’s a testament to the genre but after listening to the album it’s somewhat baffling to understand Strauss is German. The music feels so rooted in Americana culture that it takes a minute to adjust to new tracks like Going to London and In My Prime. They sound so classic for being contemporary.
The lyrics to these tracks tell stories for the most part but you won’t be listening to Strauss for the vocals. That’s not to knock his singing, so much as to praise his guitar playing. There’s something special about this album for people that learned how to play guitar (whether successfully or not). The licks and riffs here are the kind that compel you to play air guitar regardless of who’s watching. Guest in the House of The Blues is a particular standout for its guitars.
In My Prime is a bold title for an album. Is Strauss truly in his prime? Perhaps. To those that hate the blues then this definitely won’t be winning them over. But the rhythms here should be hard to sit still through. It’s 2020 and there’s a new and fantastic blues album that comes by way of Germany.