Album Review: Tedi Brunetti “The Queen Of Pittsburgh”

On her 2nd solo album, Tedi Brunetti proves precisely why she is the Queen of Pittsburgh with an upbeat blues and rock-filled record.

Tedi Brunetti has come a long way since her early days as a youth in Pittsburgh, drumming with notable acts such as e Eloise Laws, Isis’ Carol MacDonald and Witch, and the Debbie Harry/Mick Jones-produced, B-Girls.

Now with years behind her as a singer, songwriter, drummer, and bandleader, Brunetti has released her 2nd solo album, The Queen Of Pittsburgh, on July 20th.

Co-Produced by Dean Sargent (Taylor Dayne, Blue Oyster Cult), the album is a throwback with a modern twist to blues and rock that so many people cherished throughout the 1970s. It has the modern era of production and soulful songwriting to back it up.

Eat, Sleep, Repeat introduces the record as a bit of a legacy record, demonstrating Brunetti’s songwriting and experience in a solid slow-groove Santana-like jam. The hook, Eat, Sleep, Repeat, speeds the track up, ensuring listeners won’t get tired of the direct beat initially heard.

The album keeps things going with a similar formula on the record’s second track, Evil Woman, which was released on May 25th as the single for the album. Brunetti’s soulful voice takes hold of the track, spouting off about a literal evil woman.

When You’re From Pittsburgh is an excellent Pittsburgh-filled jam discussing the details of everything you could ever know about the city. The blues shuffle of the track would get any bar or club to dance along to the 12 bar blues.

Same Old Blues begins with an infectiously catchy bassline and wah-induced guitar, just for it to be topped off with Brunetti’s voice. Not to mention the booming nature of the drums to back it up.

The halfway point of the record features Seduce You, a lust-filled track about a couple having alone time in a house (I’ll let your imagination figure out the rest).

White Man Dancing begins with a BB King-style jam with an early-era Miles Davis trumpet over the track. Brunetti soon comes in with a slow delivery stating, “I’m going to tell you a story,” and the song progresses from there.

Things pick up with a drum-beat intro reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine’s Only Shallow on My True Story with Brunetti discussing a run-in with the law. The track has a fantastic sax solo in the middle of it, a nice change of pace to hear.

The album’s title track, The Queen of Pittsburgh, has a driving bass and drum groove you’d typically hear on any blues album, but Brunett’s vocal delivery and fantastic guitar lead lines keep it sounding fresh.

Something’s Cooking has the affable theme of happiness catered throughout the record on a country-shuffle like jam to close things off.

A blues and rock record like this comes out during a time when it’s not in the norm’, but Brunetti tries her best to keep the modern production and direct incision of every track to keep listeners enticed. Even at its most formulaic moments, The Queen of Pittsburgh is a solid record that any fan of blues or classic rock will dig.

-Thomas Katt

http://www.tedibrunetti.com