Bernard Allison Chills & Thrills (Vinyl)
- Americana |
- Blues |
- Electric Blues |
- Reissue
Release Date: March 28, 2025
Label: Ruf
Bernard Allison’s Chills & Thrills gets its first-ever vinyl release, offering fans old and new a brilliant fusion of blues, funk, and rock.
Bernard Allison has never been one to stay inside the lines. From the moment he stepped onto the stage at 13 alongside his father, blues legend Luther Allison, he was already charting his own course. Now, nearly two decades after its original 2007 release, Chills & Thrills is being issued on vinyl for the first time, giving fans a fresh way to experience one of Bernard’s most dynamic records.
With Chills & Thrills, Allison took a bold step beyond traditional blues structures, embracing a mix of funk, R&B, soul, and rock alongside his fiery guitar work. “I’ve been taking risks on every album I’ve recorded,” he said at the time. “Instead of playing rippin’ 12-bar blues guitar over and over, this album shows the overall musicianship of Bernard Allison.” That diversity is what made Chills & Thrills a standout, offering both laid-back grooves for quiet moments and adrenaline-fueled jams that demand to be played loud.
Allison’s longtime musical brother Eric Gales added his rhythm guitar magic, helping turn each track into a masterclass in guitar interplay. The title track delivers Allison’s signature funk-meets-blues attack, while songs like “Compromising For Your Need,” “Heart of St. Paul,” and “Groove With Me” reinforce his commitment to pushing the blues forward. But it’s not just about the six-string fireworks, Chills & Thrills is full of rich textures, like the piano and alto sax interplay of “So Divine,” and the searing slide guitar of “Just Me and My Guitar,” a nod to Johnny Winter’s influence.
Of course, no Bernard Allison album is complete without a tribute to his father. This time, he takes on Luther’s 1980s track “Serious,” capturing the essence of his dad’s vocal delivery while making it his own. The album closes with a stripped-down reprise of the same song, just Bernard and a piano, offering a raw, after-hours take that lingers long after the final note.