CD Reviews

"Leave The Light On"

Sena Ehrhardt Band

Blind Pig Records

Okay, I am not going to mince any words here. The Sena Ehrhardt Band’s debut Blind Pig recording, Leave The Light On, is absolutely one of the finest first discs to roll down the track in some time. Believe me on this one. The Minneapolis-based outfit shines throughout the disc, with Sena’s passionate vocals and her father Ed’s guitar work just outright on fire. It’s full of emotion fueled by stories of unrequited love and those low-down friends who aren’t being totally honest with you. Sounds like the blues to me.

The band really knows how to lay down a groove. Be it straight-ahead down the gritty alley style blues, or maybe a touch of funk and soul laid down underneath. Every track is a winner, written by the father-daughter team. They’re catchy and memorable. There’s a lot of power coming out of the three instrumentalists in the band. Ed Ehrhardt on guitar, Steve Hansen on bass and Tim Hasler laying down the drums are a formidable combination to start things out, but add Sena in and this is a monstrous blues combo you’re not soon to forget.

Sena is one of those strong voiced ladies that will take you by the collar and tell you flat out to pay heed. She’s laying it all on the line to you, so listen up. What she has to tell you here is worth listening to. With tracks like the slow blues of “Last Chance,” or the John Lee Hooker electrified boogie beat of “Hear Me,” the funky “Leave The Light On” or the rockin’ “My Bad” the album comes at you from all angles and makes for quite the convincing collection. I keep coming back to the tune “Lovers Can’t Be Friends;” it is truly a classic example of how modern blues should relate its’ theme with a precise guitar delivery and smoky vocals.

Sena Ehrhardt has the qualities that we fell in love with from vocalists like Renee Austin or Robin Rogers. Keep that name in your mind. I foresee that we’ll be hearing a lot from her in the future. I certainly hope so.

Total Time: 40:40

My Bad / Leave The Light On / On The Clock / Lovers Can’t Be Friends / The Best Thing / Same Team / Last Chance / You’re The One / Hear Me / Fool Out Of Me

Reviewed by Greg Johnson