So what's 4th St. like?

Blue has a lengthy discography. Not only is it long but it takes some unusual detours. He was one of the first artists ever nominated for an "Indie Award" (by the now defunct NAIRD) in the "alternative rock" category (he didn't win) with his second album, The Lion's Den and that is only because no one had a name for the type of music it contained at the time. He has done extensive work in the rockabilly and punkabilly genres, most notably with rockabilly and punk artist Erik Mielzarek. He's recorded with the Legendary Billy Lee Riley of Sun Records fame. He has played the blues both acoustically and electrically and even fabricated his own industrial-electro-techno band that released two albums behind an indie film about their faux origins. He's released two industrial rock albums under the moniker METAL MACHINE with DiRTY DEAL frontman Terry Miller and he has composed and recorded soundtrack music that runs the range of styles from orchestral, to soundscape/sound-design, to new age, to industrial, to rock, to Apalachian in sound and technique.

While working with Joel Ludwig during the formative years of Booze Monkey, Joel exhibited an uncanny knowledge of Blue's catalogue and drew from it extensively while the two worked out variations in their ever evolving live show.

4th St. takes all of these musical detours and throws them into a blender with the first helping of a backlog of some of the strongest road-tested songs of Blue's career. That may not tell you much, but consider that one of the earliest advertising runs ever implemented by Sanity Check read, "Blue - Tickin' off the genre police... again".

A great many statements have trickled back to us about the 4th St. Preview. Two references that have repeatedly presented themselves (among many others) have been to The Beatles' Abbey Road and Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. References as diverse as Elvis Presley, Elvis Costello, Duran Duran, Queen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Peter Gabriel (among many others) have been made.

The album begins with a crowd chant that was recorded live at the last official Booze Monkey performance (Blue has played a handful of solo live performances with references to the Booze Monkey moniker) at the Old Town Grill & Bar in Funchester, Va on 25 September 2004. An instrumental (previously entitled "10' & 2") has been recorded and merged with the chant. This fades through a segment composited from a number of live and field recordings from recent years into a bit of classic BMo styling featuring double-bass, StompBox and Blue's National resophonic guitar (whom he calls Trixie). Then the drums and electric guitar and keyboards join in. By then you will likely realize what we mean when we say that the rulebook was tossed out.

In addition to returning to his multi-instrumentalist roots, Blue has peppered this album with guest appearances by some of the region's finest musicians to include: Leo J. Bailey, LB, Lee Blanton, Kahle Magalis, Steve Floyd, JRock, Christov Ashton and Ricky Wilkins. Several of whom appear on the eight-song free preview.

There are few things more befuddling than attempting to describe music with words. Music is a language unto itself and the English language usually falls short in doing so. If you are curious, we suggest you download the eight free songs and give them a listen for yourself.

It was a long, weird, road getting here and this record is soiled with the dirt from the trip. But for those who dig this record... we think it was worth it.