JANET GARDNER & JUSTIN JAMES – No Strings

Not being familiar with the previous offering titled Synergy by the skilled and musically powerful duo consisting of singer Janet Gardner and guitarist Justin James, I had no real idea what to expect when I popped this CD into the record player, but fortunately, I was in for a nice surprise.

With its thick, infectious grooves and confident attitude, No Strings sounds quite inspired by 70s classic rock but with a modern sheen to it. It packs a pretty solid punch in every sense of the word, and even though it is not every tune that hits all the right emotional notes, the majority of the album’s twelve tracks are memorable and worthwhile affairs. Many of the vocal melodies are stridently soulful and sound great on top of those massive, bluesy riffs, and what is rather evident and obvious from the get-go is that Gardner and James complement each other superbly throughout. A well-composed and expertly produced output.