THE INSOMNIACS "AT LEAST I'M NOT WITH YOU" Source: Yamhill Valley News Register Date: 06/2009 Writer: Ossie Bladine

Hot off a 2007 Cascade Blues Association Muddy Award (Best Contemporary Blues Act) for their debut album, “Left Coast Blues,” The Insomniacs took only two days to record a full album’s worth of music for their sophomore album, “At Least I’m Not With You.” The album blends their youthful enthusiasm with an all-too-classic sound.

Portland is home to a wide array of blues musicians. Mark The Insomniacs under pre-rock ’n’ roll blues. Led by guitarist and vocalist Vyasa Dodson and his emulation of ’40s jump blues/jazz guitarist Charlie Christian (and the schools of musicians influenced by him), The Insomniacs channel the swing and jump eras, adding modern touches along the way.

Dodson and crew can play with humility, like the roadside blues of “Broke and Lonely,” as well as braggadocio, like the bebop-tinged title track. The album takes a number of twists and turns, but it’s all wrapped in a ’50s roots music. The piano wails like Jerry Lee Lewis is at the helm on “She Can Talk,” rolling instruments crash like waves on “Angry Surfer,” and the band takes on early Rhythm & Blues with Lowman Pauling’s hit, “She Can Talk.” Finally, the band sums up the repertoire with a four-minute jam session, “Insomniacs Boogie.”

Some Northwest blues bands put a lot of effort in standing out with alternative variances and rockier edges. I prefer a group like The Insomniacs, who focus on smooth, flowing compositions meant for crowds dancing the night away.