Alligator Records artist: Elvin Bishop - Can't Even Do Wrong Right - New release Review

I just received the newest release, Can't Even Do Wrong Right, from Elvin Bishop and it's the best of Bishop in possibly 15 years. I have been a huge Elvin Bishop fan since his first note on the first Butterfield Blues band stuff and my admiration grew as he became more loose. He is an excellent guitar player, raucous story teller and an all around amazing performer. This release takes me back to his more primitive style days of Juke Joint Jump and Let It Flow and that is excellent! Opening with the title track, Can't Even Do Wrong Right, Bishop fronts as a vocalist and is right up to one of his curious stories. Bishop has such a great time with his stories you can't help but not only get sucked in but want to sit down and party with him! He has his 345 cranked up to fat and you sit thinking, this guy invented the real country blues... this is absolutely excellent! Blues With A Feeling has a real strong Bishop country funk with cool vocal harmonies. Bishop plays both slide and his signature straight blues riffs. This is another terrific track and one that strikes you right between your Bishop loving crossed eyes. On Old School, Bishop is joined by Charlie Musselwhite and with only light percussion, rhythmic bass, Bishop and and Charlie trade riffs. Very cool. On R&B style ballad Let Your Woman Have Her Way, old band mate Mickey Thomas (Fooled Around And Fell In Love), takes the lead vocal lead joined by gospel like backing vocals and organ. Regretfully, the literature supplied to me doesn't allocate credit to these talented participants but I will say that this is a really nice track showcasing Thomas, and Bishop plays a really tasty and classically memorable slide solo. Super! No More Doggin' has Bishop back in the easy two steppin blues and playing slide melody. Oh Yeah! This is what you real Bishop guitar fans come for... to hear the dog bark. Bishop has not lost a quarter of a step playing with the wisdom of a 90 year old and the fire of a 20 year old... with a lot of time on his hands to have some real fun. Musselwhite does really fine harp solos complimenting Bishop making, this instrumental track a tight highlight for both artists on this release. Everybody's In The Same Boat is a cool down and dirty blues track. Bishop takes the opportunity to tell one of his thought provoking but light hearted stories with a twist of humor but also with that great guitar work that we all want to hear. Very solid track. Dancin' has a definite taste of gumbo with the addition of accordion stylistic percussion. There is even some steel guitar thrown in to the mix but this track is all Bishop... loaded with fun! Honest I Do is a brilliant instrumental with lush guitar work both fat and lightly articulate reminiscent of dual guitar leads featuring Johnny V and Bishop in earlier years. Addition of accordion gives it a Louisiana spice. Excellent! Bo Weevil is all fun with the pure Zydeco sound and Elvin's vocal style fitting the bill perfectly. With both accordion and guitar taking the instrumental this is a well balanced track and a lot of fun. Wrapping the release is classic Hey-Ba-Ba-Re-Bop, a hard stompin rockabilly blues track. With a cool coronet solo on this track as well as guitar, this is an excellent track leaving you wanting more. Bishop pulls out the stops on guitar on this track with his carefree, freewheeling guitar style guaranteed to put a smile on your Elvin lovin face! This is an excellent release and one that I will be playing for a long time!  

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Direct Music Distribution artist:The Bluesmasters - The Bluesmasters Volume Two - New Release Review

In dedication to Pinetop Perkins and Hubert Sumlin, both who played on this recording, a second volume of The Bluesmasters has been released. Featured are Mickey Thomas (vocals), Cassie Taylor (vocal and bass), hazel Miller (vocal),Eric Gakes (guitar) Rusty Anderson (guitar), Tim Tucker (guitar), Doug Lynn (harmonica), Aynsley Dunbar (drums), Larry Thompson (drums)and Ric Ulsky (Hammond B-3). First up is Sam Cooke's Bring It On Home To Me done jumps style with Taylor on vocals and Tucker kicking out a hot riff on guitar. Elmore James tune Talk To Me Baby gone swing shuffle again finds Taylor and Tucker rocking the joint with a cool harp riff from Lynn pushing Tucker on guitar. Johnnie Johnson standard Tanqueray gets a shuffle feel and Miller leads the way for a totally different feel altogether. Willie Dixon's I Just Want To Make Love To You gets a slinky feel. Don Nix ballad Same Old Blues features Taylor at her best and Tucker lays down a real strong guitar solo. I'd Rather Drink Muddy Water, made popular by Ella, features Thomas and Taylor trading lead vocals and Lynn on harp. Big Boss Man features Miller again on vocals stomping out the blues. Fine Cadillac done shuffle style features Gales on vocal and extensive guitar with Taylor and may be the best track on the recording. Thomas is back on Willie Dixon's Red Rooster and he sounds as good as ever. I particularly like the harp work by Lynn on this track. Robert Johnson's 3220 Blues is well managed by Taylor and group. Get Me A Car highlights Perkins on piano with Thomas on vocals alternating back and forth between the latin and shuffle rhythms. Jimmy Reed's Honest I Do again featuring Perkins and Taylor is done New Orleans style with some tasty guitar riffs added over top of the solid piano leading the way.

If you want some solid blues with traditional flavoring, this may be your ticket.

If you like what I’m doing, Like ---Bman’s Blues Report--- Facebook Page! I’m looking for great talent and trying to grow the audience for your favorites band! - ”LIKE”