Seth James - Motormouth
By Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro © Apr 2026
It's been just a bit over two years since I reviewed my very first Seth James release. It was titled Lessons, and it was a tribute to Seth's influencer, supporter, and long-time friend, the great Delbert McClinton. Although his latest release, Motormouth, goes in a different direction, the connection to Delbert is still - and I have a feeling always will be - evident.
On Motormouth, Seth James - on vocals and lead guitar - is joined by: Kevin McKendree on piano and organ; Rob McNelley on guitar; Steve Mackey on bass; Lynn Williams on drums; Jim Hoke on saxophones and horn arrangements; Steve Herrman on trumpet; John Hinchey on trombone; Alice Spencer, Etta Britt and Jackie Wilson on background vocals; and The Time Jumpers - a nine piece Grammy Award winning ensemble - that consists of: Andy Reiss on electric guitar; Larry Franklin, Joe Spivey and Kenny Sears on fiddle; "Ranger Doug" Green on archtop guitar; Jeff Taylor on piano; Billy Thomas on drums; Eddy Dunlap on steel guitar; and Brad Albin on upright bass. A handful of original collaborations are part of the discs thirteen tracks.
The album opens with "Why Should I Suffer", a track Seth wrote with Gary Nicholson and Bob Britt. Although a cleric would certainly give you a different answer, we all know the real reason is that "you've got to suffer if you want to sing the blues", and that's exactly what Seth's doing on this blues rocker relating to the pain of a breakup. With a horn driven funky vibe going on behind them, Seth - along with outstanding help from Alice and Etta on the BGV - are doing a fabulous job on the vocals.
The vocal magic between Seth and the ladies continues - this time with Jackie joining in as well - on "Motormouth", the disc's title track written by Seth and Kevin. As the title might indicate, this one's about a fast talker. In Seth's words, "You're wound up to a ten when I need you at a two"; "Lord your motormouth is a little too much, I see you talkin'...couldn't hear you even if you shout". Musically, Rob's guitar work and Kevin's keyboards - which several times reminded me of the Sanford and Son theme song - shine on this one.
Sounding something like the Stray Cats might do, this shuffle is titled "It's Later Than You Think" (Colin Linden). It features Steve (bass), Lynn (drums) and Kevin (piano) in the smoothest of rhythm grooves; Rob laying down some hot guitar leads; and Seth living up to Delbert McClinton's statement that ".....Seth James has become one of the most important vocalists I'm aware of".
"I'll Be Gone" (H. R. Smith) is one of two tracks that feature The Time Jumpers, and with this being my first exposure to them, it's apparent I'll be doing some Googling. With so many players making so much good music, I wanted way more than the less than three minutes this one lasted. I'll fix that by giving it several replays.
"I Can't Find Your Mind" is quite an impactful statement. Think about it and I'm sure you'll agree that you hope it is never said to you. It's another collaboration from Seth, Gary and Bob that tells the sad tale of a relationship that although still physically appealing, has been soured by emotional withdrawal. Seth pretty much sums it up with "I can see every little step you take but I can't find your mind". Seth's pain can clearly be felt through his cathartic and heartfelt vocals. With the guys in melancholic rhythm groove behind him Seth shines on both vocals and lead guitar on this one. "I Can't Wait" has Seth anxious to fall in love again. As he claims,
"I can’t wait to fall in love again, that place where wasted days and nights come to an end. I miss that warm, fuzzy feeling inside, even if just for a little while”. It's a vocal duo between Seth and Delbert McClinton, who wrote the song as well. This may sound like an oxymoron, but the track features some of the discs best guitar and piano work from Rob and Kevin, respectively.
When Don Bryant wrote "I Got To Know" for the R&B group The 5 Royales, in 1960, he was still a teenager. Sounding like they could have performed the song themselves live on Soul Train, Seth, Kevin, Rob, Steve, Lynn, Alice, Jackie and Etta more than give the song the justice it is due.
The album closes with its most beautiful song, "Start A Brand New Day" (C. Allen). Oddly enough, after scouring the Internet I could not find a word about it or its composer. Seth's reply to my question about it was "Yes, it is a wonderfully rare treasure". With Seth mastering the forties jazz vibe on vocals, The Time Jumpers are putting on a fabulous, almost unexplainable, musical blend of jazz and bluegrass. Killer stuff right here.
Other tracks on another great effort from Seth James include: "I'm In Trouble"(S. James, K. McKendree, P. McLaughlin); "High Horse" (L. Russell); "Just A Thought" (D. McClinton, A. Anderson); "Lonely Avenue" (D. Pomus); and "I Feel The Burden" (G. Clark).
Find out more about Seth James, just go to - www.sethjamesmusic.com. Remember, wherever you go and whomever you speak with, please tell them their friend the Blewzzman sent you.
