I just received the newest release (September 24, 20130,
Daddy Told Me, from
Shawn Holt & the Teardrops and I really like it. A know that this is sacrilegious to say but I believe that it is the best Teardrops release in years. Opening with Buster Brown's
Fannie Mae ,Holt, backed by Levi William on guitar, Chris Biedron on bass and Brian B.J. Jones on drums, does a great job or breathing fresh life into a blues standard. Guitar work is clean energetic and vocals are strong. On title track,
Daddy Told Me, Holtsteps up as songwriter and lead vocalist with vocal style in the tradition of Morganfield. Grinding boogie track construction gives the band pure opportunity to groove and Holt delivers really nicely on vocals as well as guitar. Slow groove track,
Hold You Again, is really a strong track with passionate vocals and stinging guitar riffs. This is definitely one of my favorite tracks on the release. Jimmy Reed's
Down In Virginia, a loose shuffle, features Holt and William on a duet vocal. Holt takes a nice guitar stretch on this track as well.
Buddy Buddy Friend features John Primer on guitar. A cool funky blues track, Holt's vocal is strong and crisp and guitar work is sparse but direct.
Get Your Business Straight is a blues rocker with not only some of the best guitar tone on the release but also with some of the biggest sting when cut loose.
Mean Little Woman, another Holt original has a really nice swing to it. Showing that BB isn't the only swing singer out there Holt really does a nice job on this track both on vocal and on T Bone Walker like guitar runs. On Bo Diddley track,
Before You Accuse Me, Primer steps up to the mic with a much smokier sound than his contemporary Clapton on this now "popular" track. Adding his own signature guitar riffs along with Holt this is a pretty cool track.
Love Got Me Walkin' really keeps my attention because not only do I play guitar but also spent some time behind the drums. The song has two rhythms going on at the same time which i really enjoy. There is the overtone rock take on this vamp accented by the guitar and the underlying groove laid down by the bass pushed by the vocal pace. Lead guitar work on this track is also really nicely placed making this one of the most musically interesting tracks on the release (in addition to just being fun to listen to). On Jr Wells track,
Little By Little a broader dimension (than the original) is projected with meatier vocals and really nice guitar riffs. Holt uses a meatier voice ...more like Albert King to present this track giving it a totally different feel. Nice! From down deep in the blues crawls
Please Don't Dog Me, a real slow track with gritty vibrato bending guitar work right out of the chute. This is a track that is bound to attract blues fans from all corners as not only do we love the slow blues but we love when a player who knows what he's doing chokes the crap out of his guitar... and that he does. Super job! Finishing up with a Elmore James type track,
You Done Me Wrong, Holt belts out the blues and keeps the tight little EJ riffs on slide as well as riffs like Jimmy Reed as a part of his own fluid guitar solos. Nice wrap up track.
This is a cool release with a super new band leader carrying on a super tradition.
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