Search - Roy Gaines :: New Frontier Lover

Another Super Effort By Blues Guitar Legend

R. Weinstock | Falls Church, VA USA | 09/13/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Roy Gaines has a new release on Severn, New Frontier Lover, that may be his best ever. Gaines has ben part of the blues scene since joining his idol T-Bone walker on stage in his native Houston. He was bandleader for the legendary Chuck Willis and later recorded with jimmy Rushing and others. He also spent some time with the Crusdaers. Severn leabel head David Earl has put together a terrific band behind him including Steve Gomes on bass and Benji Porecki on keyboards and their are some nice horn parts on most tracks. Its a collection of new material, although one can hear echoes of some of the greats, Gaines was a contemporary with and played with. Many of the songs have memorable hooks and some of the catchphrases from the tunes will be lingering in your mind after you listen to this The title track is funky number where Gaines gets to boast about his prowess. It is followed up by my favorite track, "The World's Biggest Fool," a terrific slow blues suggestive of Guitar Slim's "Something to Remember You By," with the band sounding like Slim's band on his Atlantic sessions. "What's the Reason" is a nice shuffle with a Latin tinge to it while Roy is in a T-Bone Walker vein on "You Can't Make Nobody Love You," although Gaines plays with a somewhat dirtier tone here than Walker. "Roy's Theme" is an instrumental evoking classic instrumental shuffles like Gatemouth Brown's "Okie Dokie Stomp." "Hinds Ends & Elbows" is another hook-laden song, with Gaines' hot vocal and guitar evoking the memory of the late Johnny Copeland. Gaines also handles a medium tempo Chicago blues shuffle," My Woman, My Blacksnake and Me," with Steve Guyger adding his harp to the blues stew. Guyger is also present on the rollicking closing number, "Roll Your Own Biscuits." This release has been one I have been listening to constantly since I got the advance copy of it, and is equal to the other terrific cds Gaines has issued in teh past few years. New Frontier Lover is one that is sure to be on my best of 2000 list."

Blues with soul

howard lee teitel | GLENDALE, NEW YORK United States | 10/15/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"rot gaines new cd on severin records is a claasic cd of chicago/texas blues,all tracks are originals no covers or fillers. new frontier lover kicks off the cd with a bolt of power that lasts to the last track "roll your own biscuit". if you love the blues with great guitar riffs and vocals with the horns filling in between this is a must buy. great band also with benjie porecki(keyboards) also david maxwell on piano with harp master steve guyger."