Forty years on from her first recordings with The Delmonas, Miss Ludella Black still won’t be made a fool of, and the title of her fourth solo album, No One Makes A Fool Out Of Me, out on Damaged Goods, says as much. The Kent singer made her name with The Delmonas and later Thee Headcoatees, and she’s been a key figure on the Medway scene ever since. That world of raw guitars, primitive rhythm and blues and rock and roll never needed frills to sound defiant, and Ludella is sticking to it.
The Masonics are backing her once again, with Mickey Hampshire writing the original songs and Jim Riley recording the album at Ranscombe Studios, a stone’s throw from Ludella’s houseboat. These fifteen tracks are rooted in sixties garage, with that rough, unpolished Medway edge, but there’s room for rockabilly, soul and R&B along the way.
“City of Shame” kicks things off, a garage banger with dirty guitars, a breakneck pace and a chorus that sticks from the first listen, turning heartbreak into a show of solidarity with anyone who’s been through it. “My Heart’s Beating Faster” shifts gear into more playful R&B, with choppy guitars and a rhythm section that’s hard to resist, celebrating the thrill of an unexpected romantic encounter.
The title track draws on old-school R&B balladry, built on an insistent riff and a tambourine keeping time. Refusing to be pushed around runs through much of the album, whether it’s walking away from a cheating lover or, as in “It’s My Affair”, leaving behind a town where everyone feels entitled to judge how you live and who you love. But regret gets a look-in too: on “Every Once in a While”, twangy guitars and a bouncy rhythm contrast with the guilt of having broken someone else’s heart.
On “I Can’t Even Cry” the fuzz takes over again, as Ludella channels the anger of being falsely accused and sings it like she’s getting it out of her system. “Why Don’t You Smile Now” is an old friend, written by Lou Reed and John Cale before the Velvet Underground and already recorded by Ludella with The Delmonas. This time The Masonics give it a shake with raucous guitars and a beat you can dance to, while Ludella brings her trademark sarcasm to a tale of sweet revenge. There are more covers too: Betty O’Brien’s “She’ll Be Gone”, “Matchbox” and “Seven Day Fool”, which sees her take on none other than Etta James.
There’s a more introspective, dramatic side as well. “I Bear the Scars”, one of Ludella’s own favourites, turns a lifetime of hardship into a badge of honour. “You Waster, You” closes the album with the bitter disillusionment of watching someone once idolised throw away everything that made them special. An almost martial beat, guitars that hit like percussion and male backing vocals push Ludella’s voice towards a spine-tingling finish.
Played with this much conviction, garage rock is still one of the best ways to express desire, rage, vulnerability and independence. In the hands of Ludella Black and The Masonics, it has plenty left to say.
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