When the world takes a dive, people with a sense of direction head for the blues. And even if its skinny kids who can play three chords and count to twelve - it'll do until the world gets better.
Or something better turns up.
Well, here comes Texas nail-spitter Alex Gomez. Ten songs, one slide, one guitar, one bass drum pedal and a heart full of soul. The early "Gimme Dat Harp" Beefheart, and a raw Lightnin' Hopkins stand in the shadows. But the relentless driving slide guitar is out there on it’s own. It's brazen, fluent and rough as pig iron out of MIddlesbrough. That bass drum kicks along to keep the tempo and the adrenalin surging on in half gill measures. Gomez plays some nifty and knowing stuff, but it sure ain't Ry Cooder pretty and it isn’t Skip James spiritual neither. Not unless you’re thinking of different spirit. Aviation fuel maybe.
To take the whole album in one sitting you might need to have a king sized blues to shift. But every track is a gem.
|
Some highlights then?
"Southern Belle" is a dirty monster. It's the "Shake Your Moneymaker" riff without the sweet talk. This is loud even when you play it quietly. And why the hell would you want to play it quietly?
"Strawberry Wine" is the drunkest slurriest, mule kickingest "Dust My Broom" you ever heard. All those Jimmy Reed guitars in one.
"Double Wide" is "Hoochie Coochie Man" with a bad head and no sense of shame.
"Sugar Pie" finishes the album off like "Rollin' and Tumblin'" with a rocket up its arse.
You know, I like this album quite a lot. Just listen to that Bo Diddley riff going down down down on opener "Macon Bacon". What a treat. The whole set was recorded by John Griffin at Sugarhill Recording Studios, Houston.
|
