Daily News (NYDAILYNEWS.COM)

by JIM FARBER
DAILY NEWS MUSIC CRITIC
Sunday, April 29th 2007, 10:42 AM

'Into the Blues,' 429 Records

The blues underlies every form of popular American music, lending them all a new layer of humor and hope, sexuality and depth. It makes sense, then, that most musicians would long to tackle it at one time or other.

It took Joan Armatrading 57 years.

Though this classic folk-rocker was born on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts, and reared in working-class English city of Birmingham, blues chords and tones have always lingered in her imagination, like an elusive lover she one day hoped to land.

Thirty-five years into her career, Armatrading did that with "Into the Blues." It's not a traditional disk - no Muddy Waters' covers or strict recasts of Buddy Guy licks. Instead, much of the CD simply finds a bluer hue for Armatrading's usual folk-rock fare, mainly through the faint cry of her lead guitar.
Armatrading never ventures far with her solos; she's not gunning for Clapton territory. But the choice bits, worked in here and there, trace the tunes thoughtfully and with feeling.
Her focus remains the melodies, as full and careful as Armatrading's usual bounty.
Suited to the blues, there's more eroticism to the music, both in the lyrics and the riffs. Usually, there's something ethereal, if not vague, about Armatrading's expressions of love. But aided by urgency of this style, her longing has more lust, evinced by "Play the Blues," in which she sings about the music inspiring her to lose every stitch of clothing. There's eroticism, too, in the song "Liza," where she crosses class lines to find a new friend (if not more) with a girl from the poor side of town.
Armatrading's blues may not be fiery or fleet. But matched to the passionate dignity of her voice, they simmer sweetly.