Album Review of
Breaking Free

Written by Duane Verh
July 30, 2016 - 12:00am EDT
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There’s more than a little Joplin-esque punch and edge in Layla Zoe’s vocals; traits that charge the Toronto-based blues-rocker’s potent lyric sets with serious voltage.  Matched with guitarist Jan Laack’s varied and consistent fretboard dazzle and production providing “big” sound to a small group format, Ms. Z serves up one the genre’s strongest sets of this year.  The power that enables her to ride atop those sonics is impressively focused and measured on her captivating acoustic cover of the Stones’ “Wild Horses”.  Other tracks of note include “Backstage Queen”, “Why Do We Hurt The Ones We Love” and the title track.  Slide-meister Sonny Landreth guests on the sexy, sassy “Wild One”.