You don’t have to be a blues fanatic, or even a guitar player, to enjoy the latest release from Anglo-French singer-songwriter Laura Cox.
On album number four, titled Trouble Coming, she’s penned her most universal collection of songs to date – traversing her way through swampy vintage blues into contemporary rock.
The Parisian started her career on YouTube with note-perfect renditions of classics by Lynyrd Skynyrd and Guns N’ Roses, but in recent years she’s established as an artist in her own right. Her latest efforts will broaden those horizons even further.
Swamp Music
While she’d be the first to admit she’s still making guitar-oriented music, this latest body of work sees Laura focusing more on the songs at the heart of the fretwork.
“I wanted to take my music somewhere else in the hope of reaching people who aren’t musicians or guitarists,” she explains. “Some songs don’t even have solos, which is a first for me. I was more focused on the rhythms, melodies and vocals. And now it’s like I can enjoy my music from a distance, as if I wasn’t the composer.”
Anything Goes
To ensure she was covering new ground, Laura chose to mix things up and recruit some different personnel around her – which is why Trouble Coming documents a new chapter of her career.
“For the first time I didn’t record with my band,” she reveals. “I collaborated with a French duo called No Money Kids who reminded me of The Black Keys, playing bluesy rock with a modern edge. I recorded at home for the demos, and we ended up keeping some of those recordings.
“There are even vocals where you can hear the TV in the background. After all, the right take isn’t the one you record with expensive gear in a nice studio; it’s the one with the right intention.”
Cherry Bomb
In the video for lead single No Need To Try Harder, Laura can be seen playing a Gibson Les Paul Junior in Maraschino Cherry.
“I started playing Juniors in 2019 and ended up looking for more,” she says. “I found this one on Reverb and it turned out to be Billie Joe Armstrong from Green Day’s signature.
“I love it because it doesn’t look like other Juniors. It has a humbucker, which suits my style, and the red finish against a white scratchplate makes it look like a Fender guitar. It’s very special.”
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Another favourite in Laura’s collection is her Gibson 1961 SG reissue in TV Yellow.
“I love this finish because it’s not the traditional red,” she says. “TV Yellow feels like a Telecaster colour. I love the neck, it’s larger than what I usually go for, but it works well. And the stock Burstbucker pickups sound great.
“I used to play Les Pauls earlier on in my career. More recently, Gibson sent me this SG to try out and I couldn’t send it back. If you are coming from Les Pauls, SGs feel so easy.”
Slide Away
Being a fan of Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Allman Brothers Band, it should come as no surprise that Laura’s albums tend to feature a healthy dose of slide guitar.
“The most important thing with slide is finding the right finger and size,” she says. “I feel comfortable using my middle finger, which is not the case for most people, and I prefer thick ceramic slides because they seem to resonate more.
“Muting with the index finger is important to stop other strings from ringing. It’s nice to explore different tunings. Doing that helps you discover new ideas – it can be hugely motivating when you’re stuck in a rut.”
Laura on the SoloDallas Orbiter: the fuzz pedal that’s always by her side
“At first, I got to know SoloDallas because of the AC/DC connection. Eventually, they asked if I wanted to try their Orbiter fuzz and I thought, ‘Why not?’
“I’ve tried many fuzzes and not all of them work well with my rig. Fuzz pedals can be sensitive – some are only good at a certain gain level or volume. The Orbiter really impressed me.”
- Trouble Coming is out now via earMUSIC.
- This article first appeared in Guitarist. Subscribe and save.
