Watermelon Slim & The Workers – Watermelon Slim & The Workers (NorthernBlues Music).

This is Watermelon Slim’s debut for NorthernBlues and builds on his critically acclaimed Up Close And Personal album which I reviewed last year. He has toured constantly since and this has given him a toughness that is transparent on his new disc. Hard Times is a strong opener and confirms his status as one of the rising stars on the Blues scene. Driving drums from Michael Newberry and scorching slide guitar from Slim make this one of the best opening tracks that I have heard this year. Slim is a former truck driver and delves into his past with great regularity, Dumpster Blues being a case in point. This is electric blues of the first degree and The Workers, the aforementioned Newberry on drums, Ike Lamb on guitar and Cliff Belcher on bass, give great backing to Slim’s affected vocal. The only out and out cover on the album is the classic Baby Please Don’t Go. This has been covered so many times but Slim takes it back close to the original and turns in a great version. Devil’s Cadillac is co-written by drummer Newberry and is a slow, rhythmic blues on a familiar theme. Slim cranks it up on the fast paced and good fun Check Writing Woman (recently played on Paul Jones’ Radio 2 show). Possum Hand is a slow harmonica led blues instrumental, written by Ike Lamb. Slim shows that he can handle acoustic slide as well on Frisco Line which sounds like an authentic old time blues (apart from the drums), enough said.

There’s more than a bit of Robert Cray’s style in Ash Tray which is another electric slide song. He returns to his former employment again on Mack Truck, a fast paced Kansas style offering with excellent harmonica. Bad Sinner has brooding slide guitar as Slim reaches top form and his Dobro playing on Folding Money Blues is sheer class. You can just imagine him sitting on the front porch playing this. Juke Joint Woman is an up-tempo shuffler and Hard Labor is electric Chicago, showing that he and the band can play in many styles. They finish with Eau De Boue which is sung completely in French and tips its hat to Cajun. Fortunately, there is a full translation in the sleeve notes.

Watermelon Slim continues to go from strength to strength. Catch him if you can.

http://www.northernblues.com/
http://www.watermelonslim.com/

Copyright David Blue 2006.