Artist:     Chris O’Leary

Album:     7 Minutes Late

Label:     American Showplace

Release Date:     1.30.2019

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7 Minutes Late is harpist/singer-songwriter Chris O’Leary’s fourth studio release and fifth overall. Through a few changes and expanded lineup since his impressive 2010 debut, Mr. Used To Be, O’Leary maintains the twin saxophones that sets his sound apart from so many other blues bands. O’Leary also is a former U.S Marine and that experience informs many of his songs. He was the lead singer and front man for Levon Helm’s blues band, The Barnburners and is part of that vital area of music, New York’s Hudson Valley. O’Leary and Helm spend many years in New Orleans together when Levon had a club there, so naturally those sounds infuse his music as well.

Core players bassist Matt Raymond, tenor saxophonist Andy Stahl and multi-reed player Chris Difrancesco return. Pete Hopkinson (aka Petey Hop) and Greg Gumpel are on guitars with former guitarist Chris Vitarello (Bruce Katz Band) guesting on just the opening track. The new members are Andrei Koribanics on drums and Jeremy Baum on keyboards. This group backs O’Leary on a dozen originals, clocking in at a generous 73 minutes: five of the tracks are in the seven minute range, giving all players ample soloing opportunities.

“What the Devil Made Me Do” opens as a horn-driven self-confessional burner where the protagonist is conjuring up just what he’s going to tell his lady, lies or otherwise. Petey Hop soars on his solo. The themes of guilt and judgement continue in the slow, simmering “Your Day Will Come” with its haunting dual guitars and stark piano chords. “One More Chance at Love” has funky New Orleans guitar and rhythm. It’s the first time we hear O’Leary blowing his harp. He soars above the wild grooves before engaging in some call and response with the guitars and horns. “Second Time Around” is also about second chances, handled as an up-tempo shuffle with strong contribution from Baum’s B3 and more animated harp.

The crux of the album lies in the middle three tracks, “She Ain’t Coming Back,” “Circus Just Left Town” and the title track. The firstr is acoustic with mandolin, harp and acoustic guitar as the band joins O’Leary in the chorus for the mournful cry “She ain’t coming back” for the departed lover as the track fades in a swell of horns. The New Orleans piano driven “Circus Just Left Town” carries a Dr. John vibe. The title track is the only one for which lyrics are provided in the album jacket, a harrowing tale of the spurned lover who considers suicide, but given seven minutes with the late train, turns to a revenge murder that leads to prison and lethal injection.

O’Leary follows this heavy stuff in the best way possible, with the breezy soulful “Unbelievable.” After a couple of rocking blues tunes comes the old timey “Driving Me Crazy,” featuring Difrancesco on clarinet, yet another example of this band’s depth. O’Leary again proves convincing balladeer with perhaps his best vocal on the closing lullaby for his son, “Daddy’s Here.”

Chris O’Leary delivers an album packed with strong lyrics, musical versatility and virtuosity. It’s a great example of how blues doesn’t need to be of the repetitive 12-bar fare. O’Leary brings terrific songwriting and imaginative arrangements to the art form.

—Jim Hynes