I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release, Does Hound Dog Taylor: Try It... You Might Like It!, by GA - 20 and it's off the hook! First I have to say that I am thrilled to have a vinyl copy of this release and that in itself is a pleasure. I routinely do my reviews at my office using a computer and complimentary speakers and in this case, being able to review on my home system and in my dedicated listening room. I am also going to describe the packaging because that is also a real treat. My personal collection of blues records has at times exceeded 5000 lp's and this is one of the nicest covers both graphically with a photo of Hound Dog Taylor's hand in red on a bright yellow cover and a cover that is built of heavier reinforced cardstock than I remember on any of my records going back to the 50's and 60's... beautiful! The vinyl is heavy duty and as quiet as you could imagine.
Opening with She's Gone, Pat Faherty on lead vocal and madly overdriven slide guitar is in total charge. Imaging is really strong and his tone is fat to the edge of breakup. A primal boogie with Matthew Stubbs on guitar and The Carman on drums, you know immediately from the opening note that you are listening to something special. I will continue to review the balance of the release, but you should know by now...you need this record! Another boogie, Let's Get Funky, is so primal pairing simple guitar lead with single snap snare work and Faherty's vocal coaxing ... building to a slide frenzy. Excellent! Slow blues, Sitting At Home Alone, ventures into Elmore James territory with solid lead vocal work and perfect call and response with lead/slide guitar and a deep throated guitar playing "rhythm". I feel pretty confident in saying it's unlikely you've heard anything like this in years. Rocker, Phillips Goes Bananas, has a simple surf rhythm and with Stubbs taking the rhythm guitar keeping the blues bars, Faherty plays lead relentlessly. Very cool. Wrapping side one with one more boogie, It's Alright has terrific pace and strong lead vocal. Faherty literally doing a romp on slide on this one, a strong closer for side one.
Side two opens with one of Taylor's trademark tracks, Give Me Back My Wig with all of the enthusiasm of the original. Faherty's hand for slide guitar is strong and convincing and I love Carman's enthusiastic drum work. With particularly deep, rich tone Faherty really knows how to deliver on It Hurts Me Too. His vocals are outstanding and the band, although stripped back, carry this track perfectly. See Me In The Evening is another great boogie with heavy lower octave notes. Just the rhythm guitar alone gets you nicely in the groove and when Faherty cuts loose with his slide, it slashes. Very nice. Sadie has a real nice alternate blue beat driven by Carman and Faherty's slide work is raw and exciting under his laid back vocals. If this doesn't get you moving... you're dead. Wrapping the release is high paced Hawaiian Boogie, and instrumental with all out slide. This is an excellent closer for an excellent release. If you only buy one blues record this year... this should be it. I think the best I've heard personally.
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