Jon Slidewell and the Reedcutters - Poor Boy Blues (2025)

The UK band got its start in 2017 performing under the name of JP and The Razors. They released a couple of EPs under that name, but they took a step back when their original drummer, Ross “Razor” Chrichton, unexpectedly died in 2019, but is noted as the drummer on tracks 2 and 5. Then the pandemic hit, and the band was left in limbo. Finally getting through that painful era, the band reformed with the new name of Jon Slidewell and the Reedcutters. The band plays old school blues in the vein of those who inspired them – John Lee Hooker, Hound Dog Taylor, Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf and Elmore James.

Jon wrote all of the songs on the album with the sole exception of the final track on the album, which was co-written by DB Wiliams, who also plays guitar on the track. Jon plays guitar, slide guitar, bass, harmonica, tambourine and beatbox on various tracks and is the lead vocalist on all tracks. He is joined by Dave Roberts on bass, and S.A. Wright on drums. Jake Poole, who was only 16 years old when he started playing lead guitar for the Razors, also left to go to college in 2019 but returns to play lead guitar on five tracks – 1,3,6,9, and 11.

The title cut opens with Jake on lead and Jon on slide guitar with Jon noting “Sometimes I get this feeling that I am the one to lose”. “So in Love” rocks out with Jon on harmonica as he tells she is “lying and cheating…I should have seen it coming”. Next, he says, “I gave all my lovin’ to you, but you ran away with someone new”. “I won’t miss you, “The Girl Next Door” knows where I am.” Jon’s slide guitar rips through the next song as he declares “I am so tired of listening to you, I am going home to find “Someone New“.

“Half Boy Half Man” starts slow but quickly picks up steam as he determines “I get up in the morning, work nine to five. Must be a better way to stay alive”. Jon continues his stories of love lost as he declares “Honey, We’re Thru“. Jon’s harmonica leads on “The Devil’s Make” as he says, “I don’t know where she comes from me, but she’s got to be the devil”. On “Black Cat Blues” he determines a black cat crossed his path as he tells her “If you don’t want me, set me free. There is a better place I can be”.

Jake takes the lead again on “Love Disfigured Me” as Jon tells her “Why don’t you just find somebody new?”. or “Why can’t we go back our very start?” “I am the one who should just walk away”. He then notes “I Have been “Down So Long“, it all seems like up to me”. “Theme For Mr. James” is a rocking instrumental. The album closes with “Cloak and Dagger” as he notes “I lie here waiting in vain. I try to call her, but don’t know her name”.

The easy conclusion to made from listening to all of the songs is that Jon appears to be one of life’s losers in the game of love. Jon and Jake’s guitars have some standout moments and Jon’s slide work is definitely catching as they offer some rocking blues. Twelve songs in 30 minutes points to the fact that all are short blasts in the overall theme.