THE INSOMNIACS "AT LEAST I'M NOT WITH YOU" Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Date: 06/2009 Writer: Jim White

As we've mentioned recently, there's lots of good blues around, but we usually only get to hear the bands in our own area, or the really big national acts. Bands like the The Indomniacs, about to be mentioned here, deserve better, and maybe their new Delta Groove album, "At Least I'm Not WithYou," will help their cause.
 The Insomniacs are a four-piece West Coast band, out of Portland, Ore., and they favor tough and swinging blues, whether they're playing their own fine original work, like the title track, a whisical ode to a woman who's not missed very much, or whipping out  rocking covers of tracks like Memphis Slim's   "Lonesome," or Johnny Otis' "Broke and Lonely."

The band itself is sspare and swinging, and leans on piano and Hammond B-3 from Alex Shakeri. for a little extra emphasis. On this CD, they also add a couple saxes, harp and pedal steel. It all makes for a sparkling session of jump blues arrangements. The title track features a fine guitar break by the band's lead singer, and guitar man, Vyasa Dodson. Dean Mueller on bass and Dave Melyan on drums rond out the group.
They're slick, with just the right sound for this vintage style, played on vintage instruments. Even the slow numbers burn with authority -- especially Junior Wells' scorching "Hoodoo Man Blues." These guys have got grit, a real feel for the music, and the talent to make it all sound just right. This is fine jump blues, but with a little harder blues swing.

They even do considerable justice to what I think is one of the greatest doo-wop and R&B songs, Lowman Pauling's "Baby Don't Do It," a 1953 hit by the "5" Royales (who produced a bunch of other fine '50s R&B). I'd forgotten what a pleasure that music can be.

The Insomniacs probably aren't going to show up in the Burgh anytime soon, but you might be interested in their album -- fresh music from fresh voices. And you can dance to it.