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One Foot in Front of the Other
Can't Remember Nothin'/ Damned If I Do/ One Foot In Front Of The Other/ What Is It About You?/ You Cheated &Lied/ A Penny For Your Thoughts/ Boogie Your Cares Away/ What Did I Do?/ Running Away/ Dream Girl/ Don't Trouble Trouble/ What's In It For Me?/ Nice Guys
The title track is driven along by a loud, distorted guitar riff and there's a screeching guitar solo from Jim Papastathis; but don't be fooled by that and the band name. There is a subtlety about the delivery, an assuredness and experience about the vocals, and just a slight hint of funk to prove that this isn't some rock outfit masquerading as a blues band.
Many readers should at least be familiar with Mick's name. Based in Sacramento, California (just like Little Charlie And The Nite Cats), the singer and chronically under-rated harmonica player has been leading his own band since 1986, though Mick has been playing since the sixties, and somewhat astoundingly, this is the band's fifteenth CD. It is a good one too. No, it's not Little Charlie or even the Mighty Flyers, but there is a strong sense of taste about it, whether the band are getting real funky as on 'Damned If I Do', showing an easy familiarity with and an affection for the mores of southern soul on 'What Is It About You?', getting a little swamp mud between their toes with 'You Cheated &Lied' or just enjoying a classy soul strut with 'A Penny For Your Thoughts' - and the superb horn men deserves a special mention too.
The second half of this all original CD continues in the same groove, juxtaposing the aching soulfulness of 'What Did I Do?' with the rock swagger of 'Running Away', or pitting the poppy, Big Easy-ish 'Dream Girl' against the rocking 'Don't Trouble Trouble', before closing out with a couple of genuine blues-rockers. That blues-rock tag is something of a misnomer though, as there is nothing here that would upset those attracted by the mention of Little Charlie or the Flyers. However, comparisons may be odious and, in short, this is certainly an extremely satisfying release from one of the West Coast's finest outfits!
Norman Darwen, Blues & Rhythm magazine 2005- England
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Copyright 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, & 2008 by Mick Martin and the Blues Rockers |