Germany’s Blue Deal consists of Joe Fischer on keyboards, cigar box guitar, harp and lead vocals. Tom Vela also provides vocals and is the lead guitarist, who acknowledges his influences as Jimi Hendrix and Stevie ray Vaughan.
The band is completed by Jurgen Schneckenburger on drums and Martin Burger on bass and vocals. The band’s 2022 released album, Holy Ground, was well received by European and international press. The band competed and won the 2023 German competition for best band. Their win gave them entry into the 2024 International Blues Challenge in Memphis and the European Blues Challenge held in Braga, Portugal.
The album opens with a hard rocking song that identifies his woman as a “Short Time Runner”, “she never stays home…might as well stay gone”. The title song following next is a ballad with Joe’s organ out in front and Tom’s guitar smoothly intertwining as Joe asks “How much can a man bear? And how much ache? I hate this burning ground. I wanna hold you. I wanna feel you.” “Hard Times” brings on the boogie as Joe advises “When you hit bottom, it can only go up” Joe’s organ trades leads again with Tom’s guitar, which kicks into a wah-wah.
“Gilded Cage” starts very quietly with Tom’s soothing guitar slowly building steam and Joe says, “He tells her she’s pretty – there’s no one else but her. She knows that he’s a liar.” “She’s just a pretty face living in a gilded cage.” “Seen to be believed.” is another slow emotional ballad as Joe sings “Now you got me in your arms. Every minute we share is like a gift. ” While the song is certainly a soft blues, it has the feel of a song Foreigner or Journey might perform. “Favorite Mistake” rocks out with the frequently repeated line “You are my favorite mistake.”
On “Got to Go”, Joe pulls out his harp for a touch of Mississippi styled blues as seeks “…to make good money. Hope the eagles don’t fly too high”. “Bluecata” is 1:45 of blues harp and guitar instrumental leading directly into “1942”, which immediately moves into a throbbing guitar run, a solid drum beat and Joe telling a tale of a kid imagining stardom playing a broom, “and nobody could stop you, and you let out your wrath”.
“Stand By” is another blues rocker as “Drinks started flowing. She said I call ya soon.” “I think about her all the time. can’t get her out of my mind” “I hate to be on standby, it might be a waste of time”. The album closes on a very quiet note with Joe emotionally singing over his piano on “Over”. Joe notes that “Time is a Healer” with Tom’s compelling, quiet guitar work accenting the central part of the song. As the song reaches its end, Joe pushes the song into a crescendo as he further declares that he “hopes that is true”.
While their songs have a definite point, a certain repetition in some lyrics robs the emotional impact that the band attempts to deliver. But the band’s instrumentals and Joe’s powerful vocals drive a nice mixture of song styles which provides an interesting listen.
