one sore thumb - isolated

One Sore Thumb

Isolated
self-released; 2014

3.5 out of 5

By Ethan Skelton

Randy Allen aka One Sore Thumb is kicking the dusty jams of southwest blues mid tequila from a bench in Phoenix, Arizona. But truthfully speaking, this cat is the real deal when it comes to gritty flavor having 30 years playing experience in his saddle. Trained in studio reading with studies in classical, jazz and rock formats he’s more than comfortable on any stage and even more in focus when it comes to composition and recording situations.  And just to give him more badass credentials, the guy was born with only part of his left arm. He’s a bold and talented fighter, making music for a world of dreamers just like him. 

The first track “Peach Farmer” on his album titled Isolated is without question rooted in the blues of old, but Allen puts his grunge flair on top and it becomes something very progressive. It has a mean stomp and strong bite with a great chorus sing-along, “Trading peaches,” complete with repetition and solid groove. Plus who doesn’t love singing about peaches? Ever since the Presidents of the United States said they were moving to the country we couldn’t wait to find out why. 

“Monarch” has a full sound with more instrumentation than before including heavy padded chords and voice doubling. “Done By Two” doesn’t try to be too flashy and uses the go-to typical funk rock beat to establish the sway it wants. I especially liked the integration of supplemental percussion on “Frenzy of Fools.” It’s a nice mixture and textural array that paints the picture of Old West meets Texicana attitude.

The album is a reflection of Randy Allen's life experiences and the title track "Isolated" is the core message of the album. It speaks of four ways that a person can become isolated - being different, being stubbornly independent when truly in need of others, failing on promises or being overly prideful. Isolated is a great ride that is more profound than you think.

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