by Paul T. Mueller
You sometimes hear about an artist, “The CD’s OK, but you really need to see her live.” Such is the case with Atlanta singer-songwriter Heather Luttrell. Possumdiva is good enough to reveal plenty of talent and potential, but it doesn’t quite capture the energy of a Heather Luttrell gig.
Part of the problem is the CD’s slightly muddy production. Some of the vocals get a little lost in the mix, but enough comes through to show that Luttrell’s voice really is a terrific instrument – soulful and powerful when she’s belting out gritty blues tunes like “Redemption” and “Dr. Feelgood,” sweet and low on love songs and ballads such as “More Fun to Sin” and “Any Old Way.” There’s more than an occasional echo of Janis.
Luttrell, an Atlanta native who’s still based in that city and tours mostly on the East Coast, calls her music “BluesAmericanaFunkFolk.” That’s a lot of musical ground to cover, but the range of styles on Possumdiva – there’s even a new-agey instrumental, “Mera Parivar” – demonstrates that Luttrell is up to the task. She plays some fine guitar and gets capable backup from her band, which includes her father, Ralph Luttrell, on resonator, Emily Kate Boyd on banjo and bass, and Craig Henderson on drums.
Follow Sun209 on Twitter at @Sun209com.