I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Get Up & Shake It from The King Brothers and it's quite good. Opening with Muddy Waters', Rock Me Baby, lead vocalist and guitarist, Lee King leads the way. With a mildly funky blues feel, Al Threats plucks his bass giving the track a tight strut, with Ellis Hall on keys and Sam King on drums. Kings guitar riffs are sure footed and clear and Threats bass work is super. On original track, Just Driving Around, the band sets a really nice groove that is infectious. With Threats walking tall on bass and Lee taking the lead line on guitar this track has real guts. One of my favorites on the release, a very cool instrumental. On Leiber and Stoller's Hound Dog, the Kings give it a different feel with an interesting bottom thanks to Threats and Sam. Lee's vocals are spot on and his guitar work nicely supportive. Willie Dixon's Hootchie Cootchie Man has a low slung blues feel with real nice bass lines and soulful vocals from Lee. Michael Fell blends in some vital harp riffs and Halls key work it solid. R&B track, Just The Way I Like It, has a touch of funk with wah wah, Billy Preston like organ and tight drum riffs supporting lee's lead vocals. Hi stepping Bobby Rush track, Blind Snake, has that suggestive nature that Rush is known for and a JG Watson funky feel. I love this groove. Another Willie Dixon track, Close To You, stays pretty close to the original with solid form and nice harp work from Fell. Another original track and the title track, Get Up & Shake It, is a funky cool instrumental with a super bass riff, giving Hall an opening to show his stuff. Nice. Leon Russell's Bigg Legged Woman is up next with a cool blues riff surrounding it. Freddie King made this track popular and there are still traces of Freddie here with stylish vocals, stinging guitar riffs and a driving bass line. Very nice. Wrapping the release is a pure Freddie King track, Tore Down, and Lee is on it on his guitar. Tackling one of Freddie's classics, The King Brothers show a tightly knit unit with blues to the core.
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On behalf of The King Brothers, Thank You! Much appreciated!
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