Life is a series of puzzle pieces. How they come to fit together is often a matter of chance. That a young boy would become infatuated upon hearing a rag-tag collection of pre-war blues musicians from a discarded record brought home by his father is curious enough. That the gift of inheritance – his aunt’s piano – would transform that fascination into a lifelong gift is beyond fate. The boy is now a man and his absolute devotion to the blues is all-encompassing. You can hear it in his impassioned vocals, in his reverent songwriting and with each rhythmic roll of his fingers. From haunting originals to reinterpreted covers, Julian Fauth is the embodiment of the musicians he grew up with, those who pointed the way. With a sound so entrancing, he’s surpassed his role as medium, having taken their mantle to forge a monumental contribution of his own. Driven by his heart, fuelled by his muse, Julian Fauth is a willing prisoner of his blues. Yet his musical story – and the way in which he tells it – is completely, authentically his own. Like his cherished musical heroes, he lives to open the blues up into fresh territory. On EVERYBODY OUGHT TO TREAT A STRANGER RIGHT (his 3rd release for this adventurous label).... he does exactly that.

Eric Thom

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