Shemekia blaming it on Eve
If anybody can deliver a song with such strength and conviction that it both blows you off your feet and leaves you thoughtful, Shemekia Copeland can. Nominated for six Grammies, this multi award winning musician has released twelve albums to date and has been presented with eight Blues Music awards. She is an intense, gutsy, brutally honest vocalist.
As is true with all of Copeland’s work, in Blame It On Eve listeners are treated to a full multi-course meal served up straight.
- The title track, first on the album, pokes holes in the double-standard and finger-pointing with gusto: “Blame it on Eve/she just can’t win/ since the Garden of Eden, they’d have you believin’/when something goes wrong/you can blame it on Eve.”
- “Only Miss You All The Time” will resonate with anybody who’s lost a significant other, whether that be through breakup or death. “I only miss you all the time / don’t worry ‘bout me, I’ll be fine / that’s why God created wine … I only miss you when I’m breathing / when I’m awake or when I’m sleeping / when I reach for you in the bed and find an empty space instead.” This is a stunning tune, sung with power, grace and regret.
- Copeland’s albums typically feature one of Johnny Copeland’s tunes. Blame It On Eve is no exception. “Down On Bended Knee” is offered here – a searing, moving tune featuring amazing instrumental work reminiscent of her daddy’s. When Shemekia sings “please,” it would take somebody very heartless indeed to refuse her.
Ms. Copeland channels the blues powerhouse females of the early twentieth century – women like Ma Rainey and Bessie Smith who spoke truth to power through raw and emotional songs about social injustices and the realities facing women. Shemekia is at the top of her game in this space – bold, brash, and beautiful – and has managed to pack blues, soul, and everything in between into a cohesive album that doesn’t pull punches.
Following on the narratives Copeland brought us in 2018’s America’s Child, 2020’s Uncivil War, and 2022’s Done Come Too Far, Blame It On Eve is a continuation of her dialogue about the condition America’s condition is in. This vision of the USA – past, present, and future – isn’t that of a sycophant. Copeland brings us reality for the under and unrepresented citizens – the ones for whom an America seen through rose-colored glasses simply doesn’t exist. Shemekia’s goal isn’t to be political but rather to pull the curtain back from the mirror to reveal … ourselves. And far from being unremittingly bleak, she is clear that although we have a long way to go, the blessings and joy on these roads make them worth traveling.
Supporting band and guests:
- Will Kimbrough – producer/guitarist
- Alejandro Escovedo – guitar/vocals
- Charlie Hunter – guitar
- DaShawn Hickman – steel guitar
- Jerry Douglas – lap steel guitar
- Luther Dickinson – guitar
Released 30 August 2024
Available:
