The Alexis P. Suter Band

Just Stay High

Nola Blue Records

When Alexis P. Suter opened for Levon Helm at his barn in Woodstock 90 times we knew we were hearing a great new talent. Suter’s second studio recording 2011’s “Two Sides” earned her a 2012 Blues Music Award nomination as Best Soul Blues Female Artist of The Year. She signed to Ben Elliot’s American Showplace Music and he knew exactly how to market her gospel styled bass baritone voice to receive maximum exposure on blues radio. Using Big Mama  Thornton as his model Elliot changed Suter into a blues rocker by turning up  the volume on Jimmy Bennett’s guitar. 2014’s “Love The Way You Roll” and it’s follow-up “All For Loving You” exceeded all of our expectations.

The current band lineup includes Alexis P. Suter, vocals; Vicki Bell, vocals; Jimmy Bennett, guitar; Daniel Weiss, keyboards; Peter Bennett, bass; and Ray Grappone, drums. The album includes eleven new originals and three selected covers. The album is co-produced by Byron Isaacs, Will Bryant, Vicki Bell, and The Alexis P. Suter Band.

“God Gave Me The Blues” was written by Jimmy Bennett, “God gave me the blues, what the hell was I thinkin’ about…if I can’t take these blues, I’m going to pack my bags and go”. “Some People” was co-written by Bell, Isaacs and Suter, “some people goin’ to care about me, some people don’t care…some  people will never care about me, but we can change the world, one care at a time…change”.

“Breathe” was written by Isaacs, “woke up to dream, opened my eyes…I’m not pretending that I can’t see…I can’t breathe”, with some great bass from  Isaacs, and Hammond organ from Weiss. “Be On Your Way” is from Jimmy Bennett, “tell me baby, where you gonna be when the morning comes…tell me baby, how much more I got to pay, they’ll be no fussin’ and fighting, they’ll be no wrong, or right, you’ll be on your way”.

“My Only Need” is another song from Jimmy Bennett, as Suter sings “didn’t know I could tell you, didn’t know I could be so wrong…stop breakin’ my heart in two, I could be your only someone, you could be my only one”. “It Ain’t Easy” is a cover of a song written by Ron Davies, it was sung by Three Dog Night, Long John Baldry, David Bowe, Dave Edmunds, and  Shelby Lynne, “when you go up on the mountain top and look out across the sea, only you know there’s another place perhaps where a young man could be…It Ain’t Easy, It Ain’t Easy, It Ain’t Easy to get to heaven when your goin’ down”.

“Wheels Beats 2 Heels” written by Suter features Jimmy Bennett playing slide as she chimes “drivin’ in my car…I got to drive away from you, 4  wheels beats 2 heels any day”. “Big Girl Panties” was written by Bell, Suter, Isaacs, and Weiss as Suter sings “don’t you try to help me put my big girl panties on…so keep your advice…I’ve been wearing them since the day  you were born” with more piano from Weiss.

The title track, “Just Stay High” was co-written by Bell, Isaacs and Suter, as she sings “this will bring me down so low, don’t say no, just stay high… you’ll see the sun up in the sky, don’t say no, just stay high”. “Ride All Night” is another song from Jimmy Bennett, “I’m gonna ride all night, don’t know  which way I’m gonna go, I’m gonna wake up in the morning, I won’t be here no more, I’m gonna ride so far, cause I’m never gonna be your slave”.

Isolation” was written by Isaacs as Suter sings “if the train don’t run…got an itch to scratch, got to run…if the train don’t come…Isolation in the end.” “Song For You” was written by Leon Russell in 1971, “I’ve been so many places in my life and times, sung a lot of songs, made some bad rhymes,  I’ve acted out my love in stages with ten thousand people watching, but we’re alone now and I’m singing this song to you”.

“Love Always Wins” was co-authored by Bell, Suter, and Isaacs, “Love turns it around, I need to feel…love always wins, every time, I see your faces on the subway, everyone’s feeling so much pain but love wins every time”. The closer “Piece of Clay” was written by Gloria Jones, and Pamela Sawyer and recorded by Marvin Gaye in 1972, “Father, stop  criticizing your son, Mother please leave your daughter alone, can’t you see that’s what’s wrong with the world today? Marvin Gaye was shot and killed the day before his 45th birthday by his father, Marvin Gay Sr.

“Just Stay High” emerged during the pandemic as a series of Zoom writing sessions among Suter, her longtime friends Vicki Bell and Ray Grappone and co-producer Byron Isaacs. Once they reunited with the Bennett Brothers a inextinguishable musical fire was rekindled. Suter states “all of the stories both lyrically and musically are about life, changes to cope with, some that we can’t change, it all boils down to what matters  in life, “Love Always Wins”. “Just Stay High” is a deep reflection of our journey as a band and as a family. We’ve been playing together for many years, and we’re always connected. These songs are a testimony and a front row seat into our psyche”. It’s groundbreaking.

Richard Ludmerer

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