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A FEW WORDS BY THE ARTIST

From the opening track, “Make a Change,” with its funky, syncopated groove accented by quirky guitar and witty lyrics, The Rockin’ Highliners’ message is clear – this isn’t your average blues band; this isn’t your average blues recording.

“I think I’ll keep on doing what I like best!” proclaims lead vocalist Robert Tycholis on the swamp rocker “What I Like Best” featuring Greg “Junior” Demchuk on harmonica. And that’s just what they do with the Howlin’-Wolf-inspired “Roll Over Rover” where guitarist Clayton Sample lays down a solo that would make even Willie Johnson proud. Just when you think you’ve got them figured out they add a bit of reggae to the mix with “Falling Down,” change it up with “Forty Acres,” a rollicking Texas shuffle, then show their playful side with “The One,” a strutting number punctuated by the addition of lap steel guitar.

“We’ve matured a great deal over the last few years and that shows in our song-writing and arranging,” notes Tycholis. “We’re not just a blues band – there are so many influences outside of the blues that shape our sound. We like to think of ourselves as ‘a recording act within the blues genre’.”

But there is no doubt that these five Canadians love the blues as heard in the pensive “Quiet Man” where guest keyboardist Benjie Porecki lays the foundation for Demchuk’s incredible fretwork. And take note of the stellar delivery of the big-voiced Tycholis on “Fine Time,” a song rife with pain and heartache. Then there are songs like “Shake It,” ”It Doesn’t Matter” and “Wheeler Dealer” that put the “rock” in The Rockin’ Highliners.
Held together by the tight rhythm unit of Ken McMahon on drums and Chris Byrne on bass, Sputnik Café stands above the rest of today’s blues releases with its fresh approach to blues-infused rock & roll. “Blues used to be about life experiences,” says Robert, “but somewhere down the line it’s changed to be mostly about girls in tight jeans and the like. We have more to say than that. And that’s what we were going for with this record. It’s really who we are.”