Ruben Bertrands’ third album The Other Side of the Coin tells a story that is as unique as the man behind it. Bertrands got his musical start playing harmonica on the streets of Brussels, while also hosting a radio show dedicated to blues music. This humble start prompted collaborations with festivals, the start of his own nonprofit organization, and a career dedicated to taking his love of honky tonk all over the world.
The opening track, “Jumpin’ Turnstiles,” features a fast-paced blues beat, strong bass line, rich vocals, and, of course, long stretches of harmonica that all serve as a great introduction to Bertrands’ style. The keys pick up in the second track, and if you weren’t dancing along to the first song, then you’re definitely moving in “Goin’ Down Slow.”
It’s also worth noting how Bertrands’ lyrics reflect traditional blues themes in a way that speaks not only to his life as a traveling musician but also his solid knowledge of musical genres. In “Big Wave,” he croons, “I’ve been traveling for quite some time, ain’t looking for mercy. You ain’t buying mine. The door is open, but the bar is closed. Ain’t no serving for the wondering soul.”
The middle of the album concentrates more on instrumentals rather than lyrics, and it allows Bertrands’ accompanying musicians to really shine—with Natan Goessens on drums, Samuel Cambien and Geert Zonderman on bass, Tom Eylendbosch on keys, and Ozgur Hazar, Rotem Sivan, and Hugh Pool on guitar. “Aunt Mimi’s Off Her Meds,” in particular, is an impressive seven-minute-long track without vocals.
“Revue” resumes the vocals with a spoken-word style narrative of “looking for the heart of Saturday night.” It’s a poetic ode to the music scene that Bertrand inhabits, and it offers a smart segue to the closing of the album where “Belle of the Bog” has this cryptic energy that bleeds beautifully into the last track’s gospel influence.
The Other Side of the Coin is, simply put, fun to listen to. I was transported back to New Orleans, wandering in and out of live music bars and never being disappointed with that night’s entertainment. In this spirit, Ruben Bertrand and company manage to exude the spontaneity of a jam band all while demonstrating a clear mastery of music theory and technique.
Reviewed by Anelise Haukaas
