Soledad Brothers “The Hardest Walk” 2006/2021. Alive Records, limited edition blue and gold splattered vinyl. Punk blues from Ohio, The Hardest Walk is Soledad Brothers 5th and final album. It’s lo-fi garage blues that at times smashes the blues like Jon Spencer Blues Explosion like on “White Jazz” (I think there might be some theremin!) or takes it straight into the garage like The White Stripes on “Downtown Paranoia Blues” (it’s worth noting that Soledad Brothers more likely influenced White Stripes than the other way around). The Hardest Walk also goes slow-mo honky tonk a la The Rolling Stones on “Crying Out Loud” and straight-up hard-driving blues in the spirit of R.L. Burnside: “Crooked Crown,” which is one of my favorites, reminds me a lot of JSBX’s Judah Bauer’s – and his brother, Donovan’s – side project 20 Miles who were active in the late 90’s. “Dark Horses,” whose chorus supplies the album’s title, is the saddest of the sad style of blues which is followed – on Side B – by the sunny upbeat rocker “Good Feeling.” Soledad Brothers even throw in some buzzy glam garage with “Loup Garou.” The Hardest Walk is a lot of things but it is most definitely NOT boring.