Brett H's Reviews

WOW! This Murali Coryell album is one tight, blooze-rockin' package! In the same vein as Chris Duarte: "Tailspiin Headwhack". Top-quality
Review Date: 10/30/2008

Some more great slipperly slide guitar blues music to pick up if you're already on-board with the raw blooziness their "Shake Hands With Shorty" album.
Review Date: 9/3/2008

Until I got this CD, I had forgotten how insanely talented these guys were. Don't pay any attention to the negative parts of the AMG reviewer's comments where words like "suffers", "overlooking", "nit-picking", etc show up! The last sentence of that AMG review actually DOES sum up this disc perfectly, so just jump right down to the bottom. This is a SOLID KILLER disc of tunes that KICKASS from top to bottom. It is even powerful enough to grab a new, young audience like when my 7 yr old daughter says...
"Daddy, put on 'Turn It Up' again!" -- I sure will honey
Review Date: 7/9/2009

VERY GOOD in its own right and the rest in the 2nd to last line of the AMG review is right on target. Forget how any of the names dropped in that review make you alternately swoon or cringe, the straight line on this CD is that Anders Osborne is purely awesome, with exactly that NOLA "slurry wobbble" mentioned. Yer all gonna love this one and maybe even learn to like sax like its done right here, if you don't already... And I didn't even get to tracks 10-14 yet, but theyd just be icing on the cake
Review Date: 7/21/2009

These rockin' skadudes whip up some furious fun on this variety of raved-up reggae party tunes fused with some unexpected twists. Their original titles put them above many other similar groups.
Review Date: 11/10/2009

This album is overloaded with meandering, mid-tempo tunes. WHERE ARE my damn punchy, hook-laden, ass-kickin Garage Rock that seemed effortless on Aha Shake Heartbreak & Youth & Young Manhood??? Ok, Ok, so there are a few but I was looking for more than 3, so I’m pissed. Im only giving THREE stars here because these guys still write their own music & lyrics
Review Date: 12/12/2008

DONT BUY THIS CD! I SAW TAB at the Doheny Blues Festival in May 2012 (Dana Point, CA) and even though he was one of the midday acts, he totally KILLED IT !!! Tab easily equalled Buddy Guy who was headlining that night! Tab was ON FIRE and had the crowd howling for more.

Halfway thru the gig Tab paused to talk for a few minutes and tactfully mentioned that he was a bit ticked off that TelArc released this here Best Of to contractually line their own pockets without paying him anything. So please skip this Best Of release because the man deserves to be paid for what he played !!!

Instead, go out and buy Tab's latest Medicine release (or earlier not best-of releases especially like Fever For the Bayou) and see him LIVE any chance you get because HE ROCKS !!! His Night Train encore blew me away as well all ages in attendance. The man has heart, soul and class
Review Date: 12/7/2012

For Chicago-style slide-guitar blues on the jagged edge, Hound Dog Taylor is your man... This set of live tunes gives you top quality sound in a live setting like no other HD Taylor CD. This CD is wild, driving and filled with the kind of SMASH!BANG! fun this band pumped out in a live setting. Ragged & Right top-shelf entertainment like no other... Well worth any amount you have to pay to get it
Review Date: 9/2/2008

Mofro knocked me down so clean with their Lochloosa CD that I just had to flip back to hear this earlier CD of theirs. And this too is just a killer mix of smooth slide-guitar soul, BIG FAT keyboards and assshaken SAXXY grooves!!! Listen to the honking sax on Nare Sugar and Ho Cake. Sadly, "Mista Nathan" got in a car wreck and he & his awesome sax went back to his native Australia to recuperate. No worries though, JJ Grey picks up the slack and then some on Lochloosa and every CD thereafter so getchu some JJ & MOFRO any which way you can - you WILL BE GLAD YOU DID!!! (If not, somebuddy dun stol yer soul & left u mt)
Review Date: 3/10/2009

I don't know what went wrong here. Janiva has some great albums but this just wasn't one of them. Start out with her "Do I Move You" album then her current "What Love Will Do" then for her own killer take on Robt Johnson's style get "Bury Him At The Crossroads"
Review Date: 12/11/2008

BenHarper's older albums Fight For Your Mind, The Will To Live & Diamonds On The Inside are consistent & absolutely killer! I immediately noticed that here on Both Sides, he spread 64 minutes of music over 2 CDs!!! when y'all know that 70+ min can fit on 1 CD. Whats up with that? A nostalgic attempt to revive the archaic task of flipping the LP?

Disc 1 is chocked full of contemplative (slow) songs and kind of disappointing. Then again, WOWWWW is Disc 2 ever the EXACT OPPOSITE! He puts down the hammer for some awesome jams that really impressed me and made the whole package worthwhile (hint: put on Disc 1 when there's mellow folks in the room, the switch it to Disc 2 after they leave to kick the party INTO HIGH GEAR.) WAIT A MINUTE... I'm sitting here listening to Live From Mars and damm if BenHarp didn't do the same exact thing with that 2-CD live package, only on that one, Disc 1 is killer and Disc 2 lags. Like a deja vu, ya know?

My final decision is.... 5 Stars here on Both Sides and 5 Stars on Live From Mars too. He's a talented musician through and through
Review Date: 11/25/2008

On Burglar, Freddie King kicks out a slew of bloozed out, rockin' reasons why you just gotta get some of his music. I don't know whether or not his other albums cook, but this one sizzles along with great consistency throughout, and when it does slow down its a welcome change that keeps the album well-balanced.
Review Date: 9/3/2009

Man, this guy REALLY doesn't fit into any 1 genre and this album is perfect proof thereof. Beginning with the Reggaemon opener then jumping into some soulful blues then right into the down-home Diamonds On The Inside. Later, Ben breaks out his original takes on some tasty, old school funk tunes. He rocks things hard on Temporary Remedy and So High So Low then turns things down to a simmer for the trio of world & gospel-tinged closers to this brilliant volume of variety. Get hooked by listening to Fight 4 Your Mind & Will To Live, then get this one for a brilliant triple
Review Date: 11/24/2008

This was my first SCOTS album and WHOA MAN what an tasty slice of dirty rockin' fun this proved to be. If you can listen halfway thru, no a quarter-way thru this CD without crackin a smile or shakin yer ass you're either dead or comatose. As I write this I'm grinnin' as I listen to my new Mojo Box cd -- 5 star all the way and without a doubt you gotta getchu sumodis, sumodat or sumthin like deez heer fokes.
Review Date: 4/20/2009

I'll always remember this as 1 part of my 12th birthday intro to Rock-n-Roll. The other part of the intro was the LedZep I album I received. Both are top shelf material
Review Date: 2/26/2009

If you have the slightest appreciation of the wilder side of rock music whatsoever, you will definitely be into this disc. This CD is at the apex of WStripes accessibility. Catchy tunes, differing tempos, bursts of piercing guitar giving way to fuzzy reverb and then acoustic, sometimes within the same song (and it always FITS!!!). All that & more makes this a keeper for eternity. Absolutely a 5 star adventure!!! Cant believe somebody is actually trading this with full art today. They are NUTS!!!

FUNNY how some people spend more words reviewing the stupid plastic case the CD came in than the music itself!!!
Review Date: 7/11/2009

This was my intro to Ben Harper and I'm standing here without any socks. They were BLOWN OFF along with my shoes and the rest of my clothes!!! Rockin', Funky, and Groovaliciously catchy from top to bottom he just absolutely kicks butt. Even the mellower tracks that fell into the filler bucket on the first play have now become some of my favorites. Can't wait to check out Diamonds On the Inside that's on its way to me...
Review Date: 11/11/2008

Another GREAT cd from Bill. Kids dig him and you parents out there will too!
Bill's catchy songs and personality makes all ages smile!!!
Review Date: 4/26/2011

My vinyl introduction to HD Taylor came in the form of this album. This album from the 80's turned some R'n'R heads when IT was cranked!!! Sure, there are lotsa covers here, but the Dog makes each HIS OWN by ripping into them with his unique, raw technique counter-punched with Brewer Phillips on rhythm steel and Ted Harvey on drums. HD Taylor could have made a Barry Manilow song WORK at a Headbanger's Ball, without a doubt!!!
Review Date: 9/2/2008

For Chicago-style slide-guitar blues on the jagged edge, Hound Dog Taylor is your man... He can whip up some scalding hot slide on one number then tone it down to some smooth, sweet fills on the next or sometimes even in the same song. His partner in steel, Brewer Phillips keeps the rhythm going along with the crash!, boom!, bang! of Ted Harvey's drumset. Ragged & Right & top-shelf entertainment like no other...
Review Date: 9/2/2008

Only an idiot would allow theirself to be guided to pay-for or trade-for 30-second cuts that are FREE elsewhere! I guess that's where they got the name "Idiot's Guide to Jazz" -Wake up and smell the coffee folks, then go ahead and listen to these cuts on Amazon or wherever. [[Wow, 4 copies here - quick better delete it from your CD Tower before somebody finds out you had a brain fart like the guy on the cover!]]
Review Date: 3/23/2011

Dammit! Gomez has gone limp on this album. There is waaay tooo much meandering, aural scenery to let this rise above a pleasant background mood. After their dynamic "Bring It On", I got their equally brilliant "Split The Difference" and was repeatedly WOW'd. Although there are some redeeming moments on this CD, the infectious hooks are MISSING!!!
Review Date: 11/19/2008

These guys really kick-it with a blend of soul, assshakin' funk and slide-slippin' blues in their own unique style that makes THIS is one of those CDs that always gets stuck on REPLAY. Even gets my teenagers bobbin' their heads right along with my baldy. Go figure!!! Watch their Lochloosa video on allmusic.com or listen to Dirtfloorcracker, but all the songs on this CD hit paydirt!
Review Date: 3/10/2009

Fascinating interplay of artists jamming waaaay outside of normal time & spacial references. Actually, it's more like they are jamming at the end of liquid steel threads attached to the outermost corners of a box spinning at extreme velocities on 1 apex and rotating as a unit through the 4th dimension, while at times clipping a parallel universe along the way. Somehow these guys manage to stay in control, and at times even drop out of warp speed for a few minutes in familiar territory. Not for the faint of heart...
Review Date: 3/18/2009

Hey, so I dont have this CD but I DID SEE TAB this year at the Doheny Blues Festival in May 2012 (Dana Point, CA) and even though he was one of the midday acts, he totally KILLED IT !!! Tab easily equalled Buddy Guy who was headlining that night! Tab was ON FIRE and had the crowd howling for more.

Halfway thru the gig Tab paused to talk for a few minutes and tactfully mentioned that he was a bit ticked off that TelArc released this Best Of to contractually line their own pockets without paying him anything. So please skip his latest Best Of release because the man deserves to be paid for what he played !!!

Go out and buy Tab's latest Medicine release (or earlier not best-of releases especially like Fever For the Bayou) and see him LIVE any chance you get because HE ROCKS !!! His Night Train encore blew me away as well all ages in attendance. The man has heart, soul and class
Review Date: 12/11/2012

WOOOOO-HOOOOO!!!!!
Holy crap, this chick kicks out some smooth, powerful vocals! I thought I was taking a bit of a chance with only 30 sec cuts in advance, but "Miss Understood" paid off in spades. This lady sings several different styles on a great set of songs and every one with a really-right feel. Tight crew of backing blusicians coming outta the Austin blues scene too.
Review Date: 11/19/2008

For Chicago-style slide-guitar blues on the jagged edge, Hound Dog Taylor is your man... He can whip up some scalding hot slide on one number then tone it down to some smooth, sweet fills on the next or sometimes even in the same song. This one is a must-have simply for "Sadie" which is one of HDT's few self-penned originals. The raw grit, emotion and burn he puts into "Sadie", "See Me In The Evening" and others in this set are indescribably delicious... One spin & you'll be hooked on the Dog, so just get it!!!
Review Date: 9/2/2008

I just got this and on first listen, I gotta say WOW!!! G Potter and her band are tight, SMOKIN' HOT and smooth. What? Wonder why nobody else has reviewed this CD... Shhhhhhhh, must be a secret, huh?
Review Date: 7/10/2009

You gotta be kiddin me, 2 lame DOGS in a row! Like a bad Deja Vu, this album repeats the mediocrity, no actually it tops the mediocrity of its predecessor (Because Of The Times) because its EVEN MORE overloaded with meandering, mid-tempo, multi-layered glistening sway-songs. WHERE ARE those driving, ass-kickin, meaty, hook-laden Garage-Rockin tunes that flowed so effortlessly on Aha Shake Heartbreak and Youth & Young Manhood??? Ok, so there are a COUPLE growers; but 2 growers? COME ON! this is pitiful. Im only upgrading this effort to 2 stars because these guys write their own music & lyrics. They just gotta give up the "layered sonic tapestry" bull$#!% and get back to the Garage Rock they do best
Review Date: 12/16/2008

Pretty cool CD. Vic is one of a select few new-era bass masters. Get it and you'll wonder how you lived without it.
Review Date: 12/1/2008

WHAT happened to the NMA on this one??? After their ShakeHandsWithShorty and 51 Phantom CDs, something went waaaay wrong with the NMA on this album (maybe some kinda POP attempt?). This album is so very pale compared to the blooze-rockin' good times they previously recorded... Get Shake Hand With Shorty and 51 Phantom albums for the real deal!
Review Date: 9/3/2008

Holy Crap! This guy rocks, rolls, growls, howls, moans & groans sometimes soulful, othertimes punchy, but always catchy lyrics over tight, funky Cooder slide-guitar or organ or other top-notch grooves (ever heard ass-kickin trombone?) laid down by an awesome backing band. This is 5-STAR material inside & out, so I'm stumped why its sitting here with a pitiful 3 stars!!! Don't be fooled, just pick this one up if you have any interest in a tight mix of rockin, funky or soulful tunes, but don't bother asking for mine... This one is a lifelong keeper
Review Date: 6/15/2009

This ended up being more folky than greasy, grimy New Orleans blues as I was hoping. The sound, performances and production were too glossy and meticulous than I expected from a pair of (once-upon-a-time?)street minstrels from the deep south. Not bad music, just not what I like
Review Date: 9/3/2009

I like, no scratch that, LOVE the Hound Dog's music and HIGHLY recommend getting each and every one of his regular albums in sequence starting with the self-titled HDT & The Houserockers, but I've GOTTA advise you to skip this dredged-up comp. If you must go the compilation route, get the Deluxe Edition CD since it has a MUCH BETTER selection & sound quality & you get a damn fine mini-poster of THE DOG himself.
Review Date: 11/19/2008

Super CD by an awesome talent. Its got the hits as well as some great tunes you will also like. Top-notch musicianship throughout!

Oh, and this IS NOT the BMG release as Drew V. from POWNAL, wrote below on 6/26/2007. Drew may have the BMG release but notice that there are at least 6 different UPC numbers (above) that are NOT BMG. SwapACD recommends reviewing the CD rather than making it specific to the UPC or Label of the CD you own.
Review Date: 12/16/2008

Greasy slide guitar blues jams that pay homage to the roots of Mississippi Hill Country blues. They take each song and rebuild it from the bottom up. I saw these guys from 6 feet away in concert at the HOB, with an electric washboard interlude and a mind-blowing 1-string electric cigarbox slide guitar -- in a word, UNbelievable!!! Somehow their rawness made it perfectly onto this CD
Review Date: 9/3/2008

This Amazon Review sums up this CD nicely...
Rated 5 by D. Parsley (Portsmouth, OH United States)

ZZ Top's Illegitimate Sons
For a long time I've been going back and listening to ZZ Top's first few albums, wishing that the Little Band From Texas would record some new stuff of the same calibre as Waiting For The Bus or I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide.
Thanks to TailDragger, we needn't wait any longer. With Skeptictank, these guys have distilled the essence of what made those early CDs great, cooked it into a spicy blend, and marinated themselves in it.
This 3-piece band (with occasional added keyboards) flat out smokes. They lay out a generous portion of southern-style, blues drenched boogie, with a healthy sense of humor. The guitar work is top-shelf, the rhythm section is tight as a mouse's ear.
I kept this CD in my player for weeks and still keep it close by for sudden monkey attacks.
If you don't like this CD, check your pulse.
Good Stuff!!!
Review Date: 4/14/2009

These guys have blenderized punk, rock, pop & blues influences into their own driving, hooked-up, rockin' blooze. We're talking stabbing synth & keyboards, abrupt tempo changes, punchy rhythms, wham-bamm pot & pan percussion and a lead vocalist who CAN get away with off-key YOWLs because they fit the songs like a glove. Music you can really beat yer chest to (guys), while others (gals) will probably shake their booty instead.
Review Date: 11/20/2008

Fantastic Jagger CD. 1st spin impressed me with the variety of musical genre: lotsa rock but also soul, country, folk and (I hate to admit it) but the disco tune hasa killer thumping baseline thats funky fun! On the 2nd spin I realized what a hot backing band Mick had behind him keeping a smouldering groove throughout. To get launched, listen to Mother Of A Man
Review Date: 12/19/2008

crap
Review Date: 5/4/2012

A high-caliber band of great musicians led by that brilliant Tweedy fellow put together this tasty slice of modern rockin' Americana for the masses. Get it, eat it up, and you'll like it and you won't be grabbing for the tums later on either. After all, its a birthday party for the camel on the front cover, isn't it??? I advise caution when considering what the AMG reviewer above has written above, since he has somehow identified a Bactrian Camel as a llama when llamas don't have humps... Hopefully he knows his music better than his animals!!!
Review Date: 8/28/2009

If the CD had a few more jammin' tracks like the first 2 & titletrack, this would be another absolute par-excellant album. A few other catchy songs and some growers keep getting to me. Overall this CD is almost as tight as Fight For Your Mind. I'd never trade this CD though, now that I've spun it 5 times or so, if that tells you anything
Review Date: 7/21/2009

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