ANA POPOVIC "UNCONDITIONAL" Source: BluesPowR Blog Date: 08/2011 Writer: n/a

Ana Popovic bares her soul on Unconditional

In March, we had the pleasure of finally being able to catch a show from the extremely talented singer-guitarist Ana Popovic, who, in addition to playing a fine selection of songs off her previous albums, also treated us to a few tunes from the album she and the band had just wrapped in New Orleans, which Popovic described as their rootsiest project yet.

Five months later, we get to hear just what Ana was talking about, with the release tomorrow of Unconditional (Eclecto Groove Records). Along with the songs we had already heard from her - the bluesy title track with its tender guitar strains and a passioned interplay between keys and guitar, and a jazzy, delivered-with-feeling "Work Song" (Nina Simone) that puts you right there breaking rocks on the chain gang, the album contains plenty of other terrific numbers, with a sound and rawness reminiscent of Popovic's early recordings.

That rootsiness is evident from the album's very beginning, kicking off on some quiet acoustic guitar and vocals before the band comes in on keys, drums, and then background vocals on "Fearless Blues," with Popovic's distinctive growl already starting to appear by the album's third verse.

Popovic's raring guitar is accompanied by harmonica from Jason Ricci on a shuffling "Count Me In" that shows the band at its rocking best, with Popovic and Ricci trading licks right down to the song's end. A couple of other guests appearances also add nicely to the album, with Sonny Landreth's recognizable stylings on slide helping to propel the rolling instrumental "Slideshow," and pianist Jon Cleary providing a Big Easy flair on keys, most notably on Mercy Lee Walton's "One Room Country Shack" and the swinging closer, Sugar Pie DeSanto's "Soulful Dress."

The feisty "Business as Usual" allows Popovic to flex some blues muscle both vocally and on guitar, with other highlights including the funky and often intense "Your Love Ain't Real"; a sweet, sweet "Summer Rain" on which Popovic's Serbian accent is particularly pronounced; and a kicking "Voodoo Woman" (Koko Taylor) with swampy guitar, lyrics such as "I got a rabbit foot in my pocket, a toad frog in my shoes/ a craw fish on my shoulder, lookin' dead at you/ I got dust from a rattlesnake, and a black spider bone/ If that don't do it baby, you'd better leave it all alone" and keys from David Torkanowski - one of only two tracks (along with "Work Song") on which he plays.

As usual with Popovic, the guitar solos are plentiful but never overdone, and her soulful vocals are in particularly fine form on this outing, making Unconditional perhaps her best - and certainly most revealing - yet.