Eugene Hideaway Bridges – Live In San Antonio (Armadillo).

It’s about time that Eugene Hideaway Bridges released a live album because his reputation as a live performer was building so much that he couldn’t afford not to. Recorded at Chango’s Havana Club in San Antonio, Texas, it captures the essence of Bridges’ talent. He opens with I Got The Blues, which is an electric performance that sets up the listener for what is to come. Next up is Woke Up This Morning, words often used by blues singers but none to more effect t than here on this energetic blues. Little Boy Blue – is he singing about me? Maybe so, but this is a funky blues which keeps up the energy with such power. Learn How To Let You Go is performed in a Motown style in the vein of The Temptations and brings to the fore his lovely guitar work. Giving Up On Love shows Bridges lightning fingers as he funks it up big time and Real Hero is a Chicago blues with attitude. The horns in the background on the latter, which is an homage to the workers, are superb. Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day is classic soul and when you know that it’s written by Sam Cooke then it isn’t any wonder – fantastic.

Won’t Be Your Fool is an up-tempo blues which showcases Bridges’ prodigious guitar work. Sam Cooke’s Movin’ And A Groovin’ is played as a slinky Kansas City style blues and it works so well. This is followed by I Know That You Love Me, which is funky soul with frantic trumpet from Justine M. Miller. I Found It has the horns coming more and more to the fore as his soulful side comes out – superb. Bluesman is a punchy bold blues whereas How Can I Win has a spiritual soulful feel although both are vocally excellent. You’re The One is happy and Jump The Joint is a big finish. This jump blues is energetic, as you would expect. A great way to finish and it shows Bridges to be the consummate artist.

http://www.bluearmadillo.com/


David Blue.

Recorded live in the studio over 2 days, without any overdubs and mainly taking only one take, Ain’t Gotta Dime is Boo Boo Davis’ 6th album for Dutch label, Black & Tan. Silvermine is a grizzly, grungy, throbbing opener. There is no level of pace injected into Ten Thousand Dollar either but the quality is already shining through. Watch Yourself is a mid-paced R&B with a fuzzed vocal and a certain earthy feel. The quality continues with My Baby Got Me Fixed and The Man Who Be Around evokes feelings of the past and confirms Boo Boo as a true blues man. The eponymous title track is deep, down in your soul music and Boo Boo Blues is a romping, stomping boogie. Boo Boo certainly knows how to have a rollicking good time.

Cake Lady is a Delta blues with a drumbeat and this will touch your hidden depths. The repetition on Don’t Wait Too Late will hypnotize you but you will be brought crashing back to earth by the superb blowing harp and fuzzed vocal of Standing At The Fishbank. Let Me Ride With You is a hi-energy, swinging blues and he goes all Bo Diddley on Got My Loving, Now You’re Gone. Cryin’ Blues is slow and wailing, well what would you expect? He finishes it off with the fast paced R&B of the quaintly titled There’s A Roach Crawlin’.

Boo Boo Davis has an air of authenticity that some of his peers lack.

http://www.black-and-tan.com/
http://www.booboodavis.com/

David Blue.

Popa Chubby – The Fight Is On (Provogue Records).

This is Popa Chubby’s first release in two years and he says that this is blues rock for the people. He started out with some cool riffs and a house full of vintage guitars and The Fight Is On and a transfer to the superb Provogue Records is the result. The eponymous opener is pure Popa, gritty subject matter and top detuned guitar. The pulsating, anthemic We Got Some Rocking To Do is standard fare but Locked In A Memory harks back to the best rock ballads of the 70s. Popa says that he thinks that this has some of his best guitar work to date and I’m not about to argue. One hearing of his scintillating Les Paul confirms his thoughts. He goes all Motown on The Right Time!! This could easily have been a Temptations or Four Tops song. Rock & Roll Is My Religion is another standard mid-paced rock offering and Greedy For Gold attacks you on two levels -- fast and ultra fast.

NYC 1977 Till is Popa’s homage to Lou Reed as he intertwines Walk On The Wild Side with his own words. He rocks out on Holes and Steelhorse Serenade is a strong instrumental with the man on top form. It’s Over has Popa at his brooding best before ZZ Top come to mind on Wicked Wanda and he wraps the whole thing up with a storming version of Ace Of Spades.

Love him or hate him, you certainly can’t ignore him!

http://www.popachubby.com/
http://www.provoguerecords.com/
David Blue