The Spirit Of The Mountains Clavera Records. CR 0601 The spirit of the mountains - Mean Mama Blues - Midnight Train - The Ol' Beggar Blues - Tornado - Bad Moon Rising - Frenzy in the Jungle - Anythin' of You - The Big Speculator - Kiddio - She's like a dream - She's Mine “The Spirit of The Mountains” is the first full-length album of the french Grizzly Family This five guys band from the south of France in Lyon‘s area near the mountains (it is well-known that grizzly bears live in the mountains!).was created by three brothers from the Casas family (Al «Baron of Terror", Jo "Cool Man" and Jean Paul"Hot Jaypee") (another member of the "family" is slap bassist Mickey former member of the french trio Happy Drivers - Virgil) It is a well-balanced twelve tracks album with covers and self-penned ones and a firmly modern sounding well-fitting some rockabilly, country and blues tunes. The instrumentation is rich thanks to the lads and their many guests who bring piano (very judiciously used on Jiants “Tornado”) lapsteel, mandoline and even cajuns instruments like “tifer” (triangle) and “brossoir” (washboard) The bet (and the strength ) of this outfit seems to be their originality in arrangements and the covers which are always dissociated from the original versions: listen to Marty Robbins “Mean Mama Blues”, Creedence Clearwater Revival’s “Bad Moon Rising”, Brook Benton’s “Kiddio” and Hasil Adkins’“She' s Mine”.Only Burnette Bros’ “Midnight Train”is treated rather accurately to the original In my opinion I find that the self-penned songs are successful. “The Ol' Beggar Blues” is a strong and “big balls” rock'n'roll blues, “Anythin' Of You”is a pedal to the metal country-rock'n'roll.“The Big Speculator” is a “gospel” one with a. “Les Paul” perfume and funny lyrics. and “She' S Like A Dream” is a kick-ass rockabilly blues Here is what can be called an authentic and sincere album, with what it takes to make a success: some spirit (of the mountains!) a lot of originality and real guts ! Available here. "Long Tall" David