Watermelon Slim & The Workers – The Wheel Man (Northernblues Music).
Multi award winning Watermelon Slim a.k.a. Bill Homans’ latest album for Northernblues confirms his status as the hottest name in the current Blues world. He has managed to get Magic Slim to guest on a track although I am surprised he managed to get the album recorded at all, given his exhausting touring regime. He opens with the eponymous title track and this duet with Magic Slim has the main man on slide guitar and is on the edge of roots/blues. The other Slim, Magic that is, takes on the guitar solo with aplomb. It’s easy to see why he has risen through the ranks of bluesmen so quickly – the guy is pure quality! However, I hope that he doesn’t get rid of all of his rough edges. I’ve Got News is a driving blues akin to the Kansas City style. Top class rhythm section, Michael Newberry on drums and Cliff Belcher on bass. Slim adds his not inconsiderable harp as well. Black Water is a blues/rock chugger and Slim lets his voice go on this one. There is a slight reggae beat and this is a highlight. Jimmy Bell is a harmonica tune, as you would expect. This is just voice and harp and is just about as authentic a blues as you could get. Slim provides some powerful Chicago blues on Newspaper Reporter. His stock is still rising and who’s to say that he won’t become the overall number one blues artist in the near future? This track shows how good a harmonica player he is. Drinking & Driving is up-tempo class. Just get it on your car CD. Fast Eddie is another for the car and he’s just getting better and better.
Sawmill Holler takes us back to the early days of the blues shouter and Truck Driving Mama has echoes of classic R&B. Full of innuendo and blues references, this is good fun. I Know One is an up-tempo blues and this is the type of song that would go down so well over here. The Workers are a top class band and back Watermelon Slim to perfection with Ronnie ‘Mack’ McMullen and Ike Lamb solid on guitar and the aforementioned Newberry and Belcher providing a fantastic base to work from. Slim Harpo’s Got Love If You Want It is a slow, deliberate blues played in a John Lee Hooker style. He picks up the pace again on Rattlesnake before going off to blues on the low side with Peaches. This shows that he is a powerful artist indeed. He finishes off with the rootsy, bluesy Furry Lewis song, Judge Harsh Blues and I just love it.
I can’t wait for the next one!
http://www.northernblues.com/
http://www.watermelonslim.com/
David Blue.
Multi award winning Watermelon Slim a.k.a. Bill Homans’ latest album for Northernblues confirms his status as the hottest name in the current Blues world. He has managed to get Magic Slim to guest on a track although I am surprised he managed to get the album recorded at all, given his exhausting touring regime. He opens with the eponymous title track and this duet with Magic Slim has the main man on slide guitar and is on the edge of roots/blues. The other Slim, Magic that is, takes on the guitar solo with aplomb. It’s easy to see why he has risen through the ranks of bluesmen so quickly – the guy is pure quality! However, I hope that he doesn’t get rid of all of his rough edges. I’ve Got News is a driving blues akin to the Kansas City style. Top class rhythm section, Michael Newberry on drums and Cliff Belcher on bass. Slim adds his not inconsiderable harp as well. Black Water is a blues/rock chugger and Slim lets his voice go on this one. There is a slight reggae beat and this is a highlight. Jimmy Bell is a harmonica tune, as you would expect. This is just voice and harp and is just about as authentic a blues as you could get. Slim provides some powerful Chicago blues on Newspaper Reporter. His stock is still rising and who’s to say that he won’t become the overall number one blues artist in the near future? This track shows how good a harmonica player he is. Drinking & Driving is up-tempo class. Just get it on your car CD. Fast Eddie is another for the car and he’s just getting better and better.
Sawmill Holler takes us back to the early days of the blues shouter and Truck Driving Mama has echoes of classic R&B. Full of innuendo and blues references, this is good fun. I Know One is an up-tempo blues and this is the type of song that would go down so well over here. The Workers are a top class band and back Watermelon Slim to perfection with Ronnie ‘Mack’ McMullen and Ike Lamb solid on guitar and the aforementioned Newberry and Belcher providing a fantastic base to work from. Slim Harpo’s Got Love If You Want It is a slow, deliberate blues played in a John Lee Hooker style. He picks up the pace again on Rattlesnake before going off to blues on the low side with Peaches. This shows that he is a powerful artist indeed. He finishes off with the rootsy, bluesy Furry Lewis song, Judge Harsh Blues and I just love it.
I can’t wait for the next one!
http://www.northernblues.com/
http://www.watermelonslim.com/
David Blue.
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