April 2008 Reviews
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April 2008 Reviews |
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Rating System... ***** Classic, Essential Purchase **** Very Good. Majority of songs above average *** Good. Solid disc with little filler ** Mediocre. A few above average cuts- mostly filler * Avoid it. Reviews added throughout the month so check often NEWEST REVIEWS LISTED FIRST
Kenny Neal "Let Life Flow" (Blind Pig)
LISTEN Kenny Neal "Let Life Flow" (*** 1/2). Kenny Neal is back on 5th record label after a long (undisclosed) illness sidelined him for nearly two years. Before that bout he had already suffered the loss of his older brother Raful Neal and then sister Jackie Neal was murdered by a scorned lover. The world weary-yet-I'm-survivin' title cut can't be a coincidence. "The world is so unpredictable...one thing I know for sure you got to let life flow".Whatever Kenny went trough it hasn't affected his gritty, Soulful voice and his energetic guitar whacks. Vocally he sounds strikingly similar to Joe Cocker on this easy rolling Soul number- one of five originals. The jazzy "Fly Away" is another poignant and spiritual rumination on life. Here he sings: "...this world we live in is not ours for always/To prepare for eternity we go to pray/'Cuz one day we'll come we got to fly away...we were put here for a reason/I don't know the reason why/But all we can do is give our best try". Has Neal been reading the book of Ecclesiastes? Having yet to create a poor CD, "Let Life Flow" is full of what he does best- Baton Rouge Swamp Blues ("Louisiana Stew"), forceful guitar Blues ("Blues, Leave me Alone") and a touch of Soul. As regards the latter Neal's version of "You've Got To Hurt Before You Heal" might be the best I've heard (and soul titan Bobby 'Blue' Bland has covered this tune). A lilting piano ballad with bittersweet horns assist Neal's affected vocal. Elsewhere Kenny covers older brother Raful's "Starlight Diamond" & "Bleeding Heart". Satisfying as always from one of Contemporary Blues' very best. Dave Specter "Live In Chicago" (****) Seeing Tad Robinson's name in the credits I quickly cued up the threesome on which he appears. Incidentally, Robinson's first LPs were also released on Delmark and he served as lead singer on Specter's acclaimed "Blueplicity" from the same period. Of the three guest turns first comes a standard harmonica-lead Windy City shuttle called "What Love Did To Me" performed as good as anyone could do it. (Robinson also sang on the studio version on Specter's "Blueplicity"). But for me the next cut is the stunner. A slow Deep Soul yearner "How I Got To Memphis" where Robinson wrings out every drop of feeling the song promised. Fantastic. The third of the batch, another original, is the slight Rhumbafied Blues "What's Your Angel?" (also from "Blueplicity"). Okay, this is Dave Specter's album but to be honest prior to receiving this he was unknown to me. There's just so many terrific Blues fiddlers one can forget a couple. This is his eighth LP for Delmark and his second live outing (the other being "Live In Europe"). He cuts up mightily on the instrumentals "Boss Funk/Riverside Ride" and "Texas Top" and invites up fellow Chicagoan Jimmy Johnson for the standard "Feel So Bad" and Jimmy Rogers' "Out On The Road". These first 7 tracks were recorded at Buddy Guy's Legends in August 21 2007 while the last three selections are extracted from a date at the famous Rosa's Blues Lounge the night before. The Soul/Jazz instrumental "Is What It Is" and two Sharon Lewis-fronted numbers close the well-rounded show (12-bar "In Too Deep" and the Soulful "Angel"). Also available on DVD. JW-Jones "Bluelisted" (***) More Jump & Swing Blues from the Great White North's JW-Jones. Mostly originals on this 14 song set that never lets up from the jumpin' "Double Eyes Whammy" ravin' rockabilly "Mad About You" to the 50s Rockin' of "Tickets On Yourself". Whatta ride! Jones is a fair singer- one of those bandleader voices that serve as just another instrument in the mix. Fits his style well. With A-list guests like Little Charlie Baty, Junior Watson, Richard Innes and Larry Taylor you know you're in for a clean, tight ride. It's upbeat and you can dance to it (or at least snap your fingers). Don't have much more to say about it. If you liked his previous platters you'll flip for this one. Not my bag but I gotta give props for the man's talent and the big league production. The Malchicks "To Kill A Mockingbird" (**) This is a novelty record. The cover depicts a lynching and the contents are alternative, disparate readings of ubiquitous Blues numbers like "Baby Please Don't Go", "I Got My Mojo Working", "Boom Boom", etc... by a British teenage band lead by singer Scarlett Wrench and guitarist George Perez. I was ready to hate this record. I mean "Got My Mojo Working"? for @!*#! sake? But there's an undeniable charm I had to heed (occasionally) about these brooding teens (see the interminable liner notes for reference). Garage Rock readings of "Got My Mojo Working" and "Baby Please Don't Go" have a strong whiff of the 60s and Wrench's droll vocals are surprisingly weary for her age. Her phrasing and her British inflections on "Little Red Rooster" made me smile. Nevertheless, many of the tracks truly are amateur hour. Something about hearing this little girl attempt "I Put A Spell On You" or John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" just ain't riiiiight. I like Wrench's voice and would love for some hip producer to fit her with some original material. Honestly, though, "To Kill A Mockingbird" is a demo tape and an album that wouldn't warrant such a lavish release (a 24-panel booklet!) without the novelty involved. There's an irony here. The cover depicts a lynching, the album is named after one of the most popular novels dealing with racial injustice, the songs covered are (mostly) from the American Black experience... but, you know, this opportunity could've gone to several dozen black artists I could name off the top of my head. At the same time it's quite enduring two British teens wanted to relate and comment on that very rich culture at all. I mean they could be singing Avril Linguine (or whatever her name is) songs. Don't trust anyone over 20! Find the Zoho Roots website to get the rest of the story.
Deering & Down "Break This
Record" (Diamond D)
LISTEN Deering & Down "Break This Record" (****) Lahna Deering has a whiskey-weathered voice not unlike a Stevie Nicks crossed with Maria Muldaur. It's the kind of instrument that can take a simple song to unusual heights as all charismatic singers do. But, hey, the songs are mighty fine too on "Break This Record". From Garage Rock tumblers like "Watcha Thinkin' Of" to the lean midtempo Triple A of "Can't Wait" to emotional Alternative Folk/Rock (ala Mazzy Starr) like the astounding "Velvet On Stone". On the latter Deering's tender, yearning vocal literally gave me chills. This is a star maker track if you ask me. She's got the perfect chops for the self-described "clang-and-twang" acoustic guitar arrangements here. "Sugar" is another raw, laidback stunner. "City Cow Girl", a melodic gem is the kind of songs Stevie Nicks should be doing. What I like about Deering is, though despite her youth (now 24), she is no dilettante or over-hyped prodigy. Her phrasing is superb, savvy and soulful. The other half of the duo is lead guitarist Rev Neil Down, who's steady Eddie behind his powerhouse frontwoman. A real sleeper hit this one is! Lovin' me some Lahna. Walter "Wolfman" Washington "Doin' The Funky Thing" (****) The "Wolfman" has always been Funky (in a N'Awlins way) but this time out Lee Dorsey-styled Funk is his starting template. The two-part title cut is one of those slippery, loose and greasy numbers with horn blasts and slappin' bass only James Brown could do equally well. Backed by the great Roadmasters (bassist Jack Cruz, Jimmy Carpenter on sax, Antonio Gambell on trumpet and drummer Kevin O'Day) Washington gets his JB on throughout. Brown would've captured that long sought-after comeback had he cut an organic funk n' jazz record like this. "I'm Back" is the requisite Hurricane Katrina song (afterall Washington is from the Crescent City). Again the horns are brilliant (arranged by Carpenter). The good Dr. John also shows up to play his Hammond B-3 on a track that promises "we're gonna bring New Orleans back!". Washington fingers out a nose curling guitar solo about four minutes in. "Tweakin'" has one nasty backbeat and the Wolfman gets to his trademark howlin' again. I'm working up a sweat just writing about it. It's that funky. Fortunately for my heart he mellows it out on the slick, cool Blazz burner "One Day From Being A Fool". "Crescent City Starlights" works like a sequel/encore to "I'm Back" where Washington sings "like a tree coming back to life/New Orelans is growing through the night...under the Crescent City starlight". Great harmony vocals too. Washington either penned or co-penned with Cruz all the pieces except for the Big Band blueser "Just Like That", which Cruz gets full credit for. This disc is sonically superb as well and those of us who dig horns with be in a state of bliss listening to this "funky thing". Doug MacLeod "The Utrecht Sessions" (****) MacLeod was once an Albert or BB King-inspired Electric Bluesman (albeit Jazzier) as evidenced by his 1984 Hightone debut "No Road Back Home" before stripping down to a acoustic Blues troubadour. By 1996 his skills had reach a new plateau with his second Audioquest LP "You Can't Take My Blues" and he's been steady rollin' at that peak since. On most of the 12 tracks recorded in Utrecht (one of MacLeod's "favorite cities) of the Netherlands it's just MacLeod his guitar and left foot. Slight accompaniment is found on some of the tracks such as on the locomotive "Horse With No Rider" where Arthur Bent is credited with "percussion". There's also a little double bass here and there by Jasper Mertier. But this is all about MacLeod's increasingly fine singing. He's achingly soulful on the fantastic "This Old River" for example. Alvon & The Allstars "Guitars & Cars" (**) "Guitars & Cars" is hampered by seemingly improvised jam sessions serving as songs like the interminable opener "Tater". Is he making up the words as he goes along? Alvon is a plaintive talk/singer that sounds like pilot vocals to me. If the backing was dynamic this wouldn't matter as much, but the lifeless rhythm section behind it and other mediocre originals like "The Road Is Slick" don't inspire. Plus too many hoary covers like Chuck Berry's "No Particular Place To Go" & "Route 66". Granted the instrumental "The Word Is A Ghetto" (War) does feature some soaring guitar leads from Alvon but unless you need some unobtrusive backing music in your collection I can't imagine you'd need this. I'd hire Alvon for his guitar though.
**** 1/2 17 tracks of near Blues perfection from the Delta Groove all-stars The Mannish Boys. Each new release seems to get better from this revolving aggregation. "Lowdown Feelin'" may be a shoe-in for "Blues CD Of 2008". In fact I'm running out of superlatives in describing Mannish Boys albums. The pages of my thesaurus are stained yellow from my fingers. I may as well list the credits as that says plenty. Bobby Jones gets seven turns at the microphone this time out from an original Randy Chortkoff number ("Searchin' Blues") to Howlin' Wolf's "Chocolate Drop" to Junior Parker's "These Kind Of Blues". Original member Finis Tasby warbles his way through the title track, Albert Collins' "If The Washing Don't Get You, The Rinsing Will" and "Something's Wrong". Johnny Dyer handles the hoary "The Same Thing" (Willie Dixon) and "Good Times". Good singers they be but I can't help wondering why labelmate Jackie Payne wasn't invited to the party! Though it's hard to pinpoint the "official" lineup of the Mannish Boys the usual suspects are lead fiddlers Kid Ramos, Kirk "Eli" Fletcher & Frank "Paris Slim" Goldwasser (also vocals on "Reet, Petite & Gone"), Richard Innes on drums, James Weber & Tom Leavey on bass, label owner Chortkoff on harmonica. "And it wouldn't be a Mannish Boys CD without special guests to keep things interesting" says the liner notes. This time we Blues harpster Lynwood Slim, Junior Watson, Al Blake, Fred Scribner and Little Sammy Davis (who sings lead on two tracks). Essential purchase. A few more originals and this would've gotten the coveted "five star" rating.
**** Blues piano man Ernest Lane is his name and he gots a little Funk in his Blues game (or "Mississippi Low-Down Hoodoo Funk" as the cover says). At least that is so on the thumping "Mr Goodbar" with it's thick bass line and horn blasts. The bottom is so heavy I could hear one of those Hip Hoppers rapping over it on some annoying rap song. Mostly though the record is vintage 12-bar fare with the 88s as the feature rather than guitar or harmonica. Lane's husky voice exhibits that classic early-Chicago tone- one you can't learn you just got to have the larynx for. Lane was better known as one of the "Rhythm Kings", that is, Ike Turner's band right up until Turner's death last year (Lane was reportedly there when he passed). But he also released a well received disc in 2004 ("The Blues Is Back"). "Born With The Blues" should catapult Lane to notable frontman status. With the aforementioned voice, Pinetop-like digits and a great sounding record. Much of the credit goes to Strength (featuring the Rhythm Kings), the band consisting of Billy Ray on drums, bassist Rick Jones, Seth Blumberg on guitar and four-piece horns. They lay down royally good rhythm on cuts like "Goodbar", "Red Hot Mama" and the motorscootin' instrumental "Slidin'". Highly recommended.
Big Cynthia "Don't Hate"
(Hearon)
LISTEN Big Cynthia "Don't Hate" (***). "Big Cynthia gonna break it up" goes the hook on the opener, a Rap (by Cynthia) remix of her version of "Breaking Up Somebody's Home" (also included). She shows she can deliver her rhymes like any Salt or Peppa. But she really follows more after her "idol" and Godmother (Denise LaSalle), such as on the terrific "I Didn't Lie, I Just Didn't Tell It All". Another one of those tongue-in-cheek cheating songs. Pat Brown ignited it all with the classic "Equal Opportunity" and Cynthia's made a habit of it. Fortunately it's clever (unlike the unctuous "Eating Ain't Cheating" from her previous LP). Further variety crops up on the retro-80s "I'll Be Your Peaches And You Be My Queen", an unabashed rip of "Don't Look Any Further", the 70s electro-Funk "I Came To Party" and the sleek stepper "I'm Gonna Do Me Before I Do You". She's not quite up to it vocally on the last track but she's large and in charge with the sassy bumpers like "You Keep Your Nose Out Of My Business". This is a straight up "party Blues" that'll please the steadies. Willie Tolver "New Man In Town" (***). Some years ago a bootleg quality packaging of this album was floating around and I kept hoping it would be given a proper release. Now it has on the fledgling California label, Laryan Records. It's a modest budgeted set production wise but Tolver's forceful voice and producer/writer Mark Safford's songs make it work. The thumping "You Put The Stroke On Me" is the single; a percussive headbobber with a strong refrain. The girl "put the stroke and made me lose my mind". Perhaps track 2 is the sequel? Some woman comes knocking on Willie's door one day telling him "you better keep your baby". Tolver explains on "Baby By An Outside Woman" that he went out to a club after a fight with the Mrs one night and hooked up with an "outside woman". She "put the stroke on me" and "nine months later I'm holding my baby girl". Well, Mr Tolver you should've taken Frankie Lee's advice ("If you can't afford to help feed the babies you better think twice before you grab the lady!"). The title track is a Downhome Blues while "Why You Lied" is a sizzling slowie and perhaps the best cut here. A moody pace, raspy vocal and some spicy organ bring it to a boil. Again, bigger production sound would've been preferred but it's got enough going for it to garner today's Southern Soul Blues fan's interest. Tricia Barnwell "Country All Over Me" (** 1/2) As Ray Charles so ably proved, Country & Soul music are cousins. Tricia Barnwell's debut falls in between, albeit with a touch of Rock & Roll ("Build Me A Man"). Recorded by Roy C Hammond and for his Three Gems imprint it exhibits the familiar synth horns and overall production of C's own albums. Clean-voiced Barnwell doesn't employ a twang but rather sings like the Pop Country gals of today. Unfortunately, it's karaoke time on "Country All Over Me" with the many covers. "Sweet Home Alabama", Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The USA" and Bonnie Raitt's "I Can't Make You Love Me" & "Something To Talk About" are all given routine arrangements. Barnwell's voice is a mere pilot vocal on these all too familiar songs. Same goes for plaintive run-throughs of Shania Twain ("You're Still The One", "If You're Not In It For Love"), Patsy Kline ("Crazy") and Rod Stewart ("First Cut is The Deepest"). Less hoary covers would've been a safer choice. Tricia's mother Linda Barnwell duets on the "bonus track" (and the only one not produced by Roy C) "I'm Pulling The Plug". It's the best track here by far and the most authentically Country. Meanwhile, Roy C delivers some spirited backups on "Alabama" and performs a full-fledged duet with Barnwell on his own "Since I Met You Baby". Not surprisingly it's one of the more notable cuts and the one radio programmers have added. Jonathan Burton guests on the closer "Your Love is Like A Light Switch". Mystery Man "What's Wrong With Our Love?" (**). Just when it seemed like Ecko Records was on the decline in terms of quality and relevance they've stormed back with strong releases on O.B. Buchana, Carl Sims, Denise LaSalle and Ms. Jody; each producing notable chitlin' circuit hits within the last 9 months. So it came as a surprise to me when The Mystery Man popped up on their release schedule. Sure, the no longer mysterious one had a huge hit some years back with "Bedroom Workout" but his obvious vocal inadequacies caught up with him with subsequent releases flopping. But this just goes to show what a hit song can do for an artist. You can always get another shot and that sums up "What's Wrong With Our Love?". The good news is being the material was recorded at Ecko studios so it has plenty of bottom and some punch. The first single, "Hole In The Wall Cafe", is an infectious percolating bumper that'll get a few bootys wigglin'. "Jody's Got My Tu Tu" is kinda catchy too but is nothing more than Charles Wilson's "Booty Club" and Mystery Man's own "Party House" with new lyrics. The bad news is Mystery Man's (Jimmie Warren) singing can only be tolerated (at least by me) for a couple tracks. "Better Stop Doggin' Me Around" is a darn nifty bump and the title track is elevated by some sweet backup vocals by Shara Scott and/or Brenda Williams. This slowie as well as "I Wanna Make Love To You Tonight", "Learn To Respect Your Woman" and "If I Had You In My Arms Tonight" are dynamite songs that a better singer could really bring home. If you like Mystery Man before you'll be quite happy with this release. The rest of ya'll need steer clear. Melvin "Guitar" Williams "Shut Your Mouth" (***). First let me say that I recommend this CD. Second, however, I must say it's a frustrating one for me to review. Had these same performances been recorded in a real studio with a bigger budget we'd have a darn good record here. I can still recommend this in the same way one can still appreciate the tiny sounding pre-war Blues despite the primitive recording technology. The mad Funky rumblin' title cut can shake the house Bobby Rush-style (especially had it real bass and drums). Williams growls the Blues on shuffles like "Highway 95", "Landlord Knocking" and elsewhere. Both "If I Die Today Or Tomorrow", "Cancel My Reservation" and the instrumental "Mustard Green" use the same backing track as "Highway 95"! True, it's just simple 12-bar formula but again, I wish they could be re-cut with a true band. "Where My Baby Used To Lay" appears in two versions- a "slow" and "fast" take. The "fast" is actually a laidback, midtempo rhythm and the "slow" is a down-from-the-bottom slow Blues. Williams has a strong voice and that's what saves this under-produced CD. On the Southern Soul side we got the floater "Pam", featuring some Soulful singing and a crispy guitar solo. Interestingly the demo-like production adds to the charm of the cut. Dig the echo on the vocals. "Sixty Minute Man" is a Clarence Carter inspired bumper (though not the same song as Carter's "Sixty Minute Man").
Copyright 2008 by Blues Critic Media unless indicated otherwise. May be used if web address www.bluescritic.com and company name are included. |
The
Mannish Boys "A Lowdown Feelin'" (Delta Groove Music)
Ernest
Lane & Strength "Born With The Blues" (Evejim)
