With Stratocaster tones that alternately sting, purr and snarl, Bryce Janey mixes a mean mess of blues on "Bare Wire." He's got his father, BillyLee, to back him on rhythm guitar, while bassist Dan Johnson and ace drummer Steve Hays lock in and never falter. Janey is from Marion, Iowa, and the album was recorded beautifully at Catamount Recording Studios in Cedar Falls. Aurally, "Bare Wire" is a couple of notches above the average independent release; it's crisp and clean with a rich, deep bottom end. Janey gets the most out of his guitar, flipping through pickup combinations, sometimes in mid-solo, to add variety to his Texas licks. He kicks off opener "Hold On" with a crisp, out-of-phase lead sound, singing the shuffle in a laconic Charlie Musselwhite-like style. "Dangerous Cool" has the feel of Howlin' Wolf's "Who's Been Talking," with keyboardist Tom Giblin, late of Lonnie Brooks band, upping the soul factor via B-3 fills. Janey takes some chances with his ripping solo here, leaving in some deep edges and showing a lot of heart. On "Drinkin' Dirty Water," he digs in with an Albert Collins tone icy enough to send shivers up your spine. Fleet-fingered and smart, he solos in bursts of gritty riffs, some familiar, and some fresh. Other pleasures include "Stop the Rain," in which the elder Janey's flavorful rhythm guitar rolls around like a first sip of smooth whiskey on the tongue. It's a well written blue soul tune, though it must be said that the lyrics on "Bare Wire" don't quite match the high caliber of the playing and production; they lean toward overly familiar themes that modern writers should transcend. Adding an expert lyricist to the mix would elevate this material from very good to great. All the other elements that could make Bryce Janey a major blues star are in place. Jeff Calvin Blues Revue

Review from Twin Cities Blues News - November 2000 Bryce Janey - "Bare Wire" Hot Fudge Music HF0078 Every now and then a CD comes out of nowhere and catches you along side of the head like a sucker punch. This new release on Hot Fudge Music by Marion, Iowa's Bryce Janey is just that release. Titled "Bare Wire," this eleven-track outing has to be one of the strongest "indie" releases to hail from the heartland in recent memory. Most of the national Blues publications are all over this thing, and there is a good reason - it's the real deal! Janey was hailed some years back to be the next Midwest "wonder kid," but it has taken time for him to finally become the seasoned performer, songwriter, guitarist, that only years of experience can give you. He is backed up on this release by Dan Johnson on bass, Steve Hays on drums, his father BillyLee Janey on second guitar, and Tom Giblin on Hammond B-3. In addition to Bryce's exceptionally strong guitar offering, Giblin really shines on this CD with his thundering Hammond B-3 work. If you can imagine a two guitar "head cutting contest," now just remove one guitar and set up Janey's Strat vs. Giblin's Hammond. These two play off one another like Kooper and Bloomfield did years ago in "Super Session." It's that strong! Bryce has really come of age with this release. It overshadows anything he has released prior. His commanding vocals set the pace for entire eleven cuts. He has one of the best pure Blues voices heard in recent memory. You hear it for the first time, and you keep coming back for more. Janey holds down one of the more highly coveted musical spots in Iowa Blues as one of two lead guitarists in Bob Dorr & Molly Nova's Blues Band. This new release by Janey is a "side project" of sorts, but one that really brings the focus back to what a tremendous talent he is. It opens with "Hold On." A great choice for an opening track, where Janey sets you up with strong vocals and the interplay between guitar and the Hammond B-3. Other stellar cuts include "Dangerous Cool," "Stop The Rain," "Sugar Hill," and the title track, "Bare Wire." One of the few problems with this package is one has to guess the material is all original as there are no writing credits given to the songwriter for the eleven tracks on the CD. A small issue, but an important one as strong packaging is always important for "indie" releases as you fight for shelf space in the retail outlets.

Set apart from the crowd by his distinctive vocals, Combining tasty guitar playing with soulful singing.