Review: Sheri Roberts Greimes — ‘Lightning Strikes Twice’

Artists are obliged to follow their muse wherever It may take them in order to exercise their creative demons. Award winning pianist, singer songwriter, Sheri Roberts Greimes has been working in the business for over 40 years, so she has seen her share of angels and demons. On her third full length album, Lightning Strikes Twice, released in March of 2020, she and her backing band, whom she has given the moniker Jo Mama, deliver nine original songs covering a variety of styles from Country to Swing and Pop Rock, Blues and Gospel with one common thread the sound of “pure soul.“

The opening title track, “Lightning Strikes Twice,” is an emotional tail of two lovers who have reunited after years apart who dare to rekindle the sparks. Guitarist Marc Lagen layers fine pedal steel over Greimes’ arpeggiating piano to ramp up the emotional high lonesome sound. Mitch Pumpian trades lines with Greimes’ vocals on greasy blues harp during the swinging blues,”Tell Me That You’re Mine.” She then takes us to church for the devotional,” Find My Way Home,” giving her own altar call testimony. Sheri and the boys then reverse course and head back to the Honkytonk for the rambling,” Got To Feel Right,” before she demonstrates the full depth of her emotional abilities on the solo number, “Somebody.“

The musical journey heads south of the border for the Latin influenced rock pop tune, “Don’t Make Me Beg,” with drummer Roy Scimeca adding spicy percussion to the mix. The sugary pop love song, “Sweet Baby Blues, has an AM radio early 70s vibe, and the piano driven, do wop number “Ain’t Your Mama,” could’ve come from the Carole King Song book. The pageant ends with the cinematic track,” Take My Burdens,” a spacious passion play with Greimes’ evocative vocals accompanied by sparse percussion and mournful dobro, transporting us to the place of desperation that was the source of many great works of art.

(Get more info about Sheri Roberts Greimes HERE.)