London, Ontario
by Rod Nicholson

ROMI MAYES • ACHIN’ IN YER BONES (INDIE)

The latest CD from Winnipeg’s Romi Mayes is a strong follow-up to her well-received 2006 effort, Sweet Somethin’ Steady. Although that earlier work set the bar pretty high, Achin In Yer Bones clears it easily. It’s easy to see that in the process of earning a reputation as one of Canada’s hardest-working musicians, Mayes was also busy writing new material with all the out-front steeliness in the lyrics and snaky guitar-driven melodies needed to make this album what it is. Whether she’s playing in an old-school Nashville style on one track and then laying down a murky little late-night swamp groove on the next, the knowing bite and wiser after the fact ruefulness and humour of the lyrics is a stylistic golden thread throughout. Recommended.